Providing particular level of access to one or more items in response to determining primary control of a computing device

ABSTRACT

A computationally implemented system and method that is designed to, but is not limited to: determining which of a plurality of users detected in proximate vicinity of a computing device has primary control of the computing device; and providing a particular level of access, via the computing device, to one or more items, the particular level of access to be provided to the one or more items being in response, at least in part, to said determining. In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is related to and claims the benefit of theearliest available effective filing date(s) from the following listedapplication(s) (the “Related Applications”) (e.g., claims earliestavailable priority dates for other than provisional patent applicationsor claims benefits under 35 USC §119(e) for provisional patentapplications, for any and all parent, grandparent, great-grandparent,etc. applications of the Related Application(s)). All subject matter ofthe Related Applications and of any and all parent, grandparent,great-grandparent, etc. applications of the Related Applications,including any priority claims, is incorporated herein by reference tothe extent such subject matter is not inconsistent herewith.

-   -   For purposes of the USPTO extra-statutory requirements, the        present application constitutes a continuation-in-part of U.S.        patent application Ser. No. 13/065,885, entitled ACCESS        RESTRICTION IN RESPONSE TO DETERMINING DEVICE TRANSFER, naming        Royce A. Levien; Richard T. Lord; Robert W. Lord; Mark A.        Malamud; John D. Rinaldo, Jr.;    -   Clarence T. Tegreene as inventors, filed 30 Mar. 2011, which is        currently co-pending or is an application of which a currently        co-pending application is entitled to the benefit of the filing        date.    -   For purposes of the USPTO extra-statutory requirements, the        present application constitutes a continuation-in-part of U.S.        patent application Ser. No. 13/065,964, entitled ACCESS        RESTRICTION IN RESPONSE TO DETERMINING DEVICE TRANSFER, naming        Royce A. Levien; Richard T. Lord; Robert W. Lord; Mark A.        Malamud; John D. Rinaldo, Jr.; Clarence T. Tegreene as        inventors, filed 31 Mar. 2011, which is currently co-pending or        is an application of which a currently co-pending application is        entitled to the benefit of the filing date.    -   For purposes of the USPTO extra-statutory requirements, the        present application constitutes a continuation-in-part of U.S.        patent application Ser. No. 13/066,848, entitled PROVIDING        GREATER ACCESS TO ONE OR MORE ITEMS IN RESPONSE TO DETERMINING        DEVICE TRANSFER, naming Royce A. Levien; Richard T. Lord;        Robert W. Lord; Mark A. Malamud; John D. Rinaldo, Jr.;        Clarence T. Tegreene as inventors, filed 25 Apr. 2011, which is        currently co-pending or is an application of which a currently        co-pending application is entitled to the benefit of the filing        date.    -   For purposes of the USPTO extra-statutory requirements, the        present application constitutes a continuation-in-part of U.S.        patent application Ser. No. 13/066,917, entitled PROVIDING        GREATER ACCESS TO ONE OR MORE ITEMS IN RESPONSE TO DETERMINING        DEVICE TRANSFER, naming Royce A. Levien; Richard T. Lord;        Robert W. Lord; Mark A. Malamud; John D. Rinaldo, Jr.;        Clarence T. Tegreene as inventors, filed 26 Apr. 2011, which is        currently co-pending or is an application of which a currently        co-pending application is entitled to the benefit of the filing        date.

The United States Patent Office (USPTO) has published a notice to theeffect that the USPTO's computer programs require that patent applicantsreference both a serial number and indicate whether an application is acontinuation, continuation-in-part, or divisional of a parentapplication. Stephen G. Kunin, Benefit of Prior-Filed Application, USPTOOfficial Gazette Mar. 18, 2003. The present Applicant Entity(hereinafter “Applicant”) has provided above a specific reference to theapplication(s) from which priority is being claimed as recited bystatute. Applicant understands that the statute is unambiguous in itsspecific reference language and does not require either a serial numberor any characterization, such as “continuation” or“continuation-in-part,” for claiming priority to U.S. patentapplications. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Applicant understands thatthe USPTO's computer programs have certain data entry requirements, andhence Applicant has provided designation(s) of a relationship betweenthe present application and its parent application(s) as set forthabove, but expressly points out that such designation(s) are not to beconstrued in any way as any type of commentary and/or admission as towhether or not the present application contains any new matter inaddition to the matter of its parent application(s).

SUMMARY

A computationally implemented method includes, but is not limited todetermining which of a plurality of users detected in proximate vicinityof a computing device has primary control of the computing device,wherein said determining which of a plurality of users detected inproximate vicinity of a computing device has primary control of thecomputing device is performed via at least one of a machine, article ofmanufacture, or composition of matter; and providing a particular levelof access, via the computing device, to one or more items, theparticular level of access to be provided to the one or more items beingin response, at least in part, to said determining. In addition to theforegoing, other method aspects are described in the claims, drawings,and text forming a part of the present disclosure.

In one or more various aspects, related machines, compositions ofmatter, or manufactures of systems may include, but are not limited to,virtually any combination of hardware, software, and/or firmwareconfigured to effect the herein-referenced method aspects depending uponthe design choices of the system designer.

A computationally implemented system includes, but is not limited to:means for determining which of a plurality of users detected inproximate vicinity of a computing device has primary control of thecomputing device; and means for providing a particular level of access,via the computing device, to one or more items, the particular level ofaccess to be provided to the one or more items being in response, atleast in part, to said determining. In addition to the foregoing, othersystem aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming apart of the present disclosure.

A computationally implemented system includes, but is not limited to:circuitry for determining which of a plurality of users detected inproximate vicinity of a computing device has primary control of thecomputing device; and circuitry for providing a particular level ofaccess, via the computing device, to one or more items, the particularlevel of access to be provided to the one or more items being inresponse, at least in part, to said determining. In addition to theforegoing, other system aspects are described in the claims, drawings,and text forming a part of the present disclosure.

An article of manufacture including a non-transitory signal-bearingstorage medium bearing one or more instructions for determining which ofa plurality of users detected in proximate vicinity of a computingdevice has primary control of the computing device; and one or moreinstructions for providing a particular level of access, via thecomputing device, to one or more items, the particular level of accessto be provided to the one or more items being in response, at least inpart, to said determining. In addition to the foregoing, other computerprogram product aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and textforming a part of the present disclosure.

A method for providing a particular level of access to one or more itemsvia a computing device, the method includes determining which of aplurality of users detected in proximate vicinity of a computing devicehas primary control of the computing device, wherein said determiningwhich of a plurality of users detected in proximate vicinity of acomputing device has primary control of the computing device isperformed via at least one of a machine, article of manufacture, orcomposition of matter; and providing a particular level of access, viathe computing device, to one or more items, the particular level ofaccess to be provided to the one or more items being in response, atleast in part, to said determining.

The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be inany way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments,and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and featureswill become apparent by reference to the drawings and the followingdetailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary computing device 10* in accordance withvarious embodiments.

FIG. 2 a shows an exemplary environment 200 in which a plurality ofusers 20 a, 20 b, and 20 c are gathered around and being in theproximate vicinity of the computing device 10* of FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 b shows another exemplary environment 202 in which primarycontrol of the computing device 10* of FIG. 1 is being relinquished by auser 20 d and being transferred to a plurality of users 20 e and 20 f.

FIG. 2 c shows another exemplary environment 204 in which two users 20 gand 20 i join a third user 20 h in using/accessing the computing device10* of FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 d shows another exemplary environment 206 in which two users 20 sand 20 t have joint primary control of the computing device 10* of FIG.1.

FIG. 3 a shows a particular implementation of the computing device 10*of FIG. 1 illustrated as computing device 10′.

FIG. 3 b shows another implementation of the computing device 10* ofFIG. 1 illustrated as computing device 10″.

FIG. 3 c shows another perspective of the primary control determiningmodule 102* of FIGS. 3 a and 3 b.

FIG. 3 d shows another perspective of the access providing module 104*of FIGS. 3 a and 3 b.

FIG. 3 e shows various types of sensors 120 that may comprise the one ormore sensors 120 that may be included with the computing device 10* ofFIGS. 3 a and 3 b.

FIG. 3 f shows another perspective of the alert generating module 106*of FIGS. 3 a and 3 b.

FIG. 4 is a high-level logic flowchart of a process.

FIG. 5 a is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depictingalternate implementations of the primary control determining operation402 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 b is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depictingalternate implementations of the primary control determining operation402 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 c is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depictingalternate implementations of the primary control determining operation402 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 d is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depictingalternate implementations of the primary control determining operation402 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 e is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depictingalternate implementations of the primary control determining operation402 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 a is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depictingalternate implementations of the access providing operation 404 of FIG.4.

FIG. 6 b is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depictingalternate implementations of the access providing operation 404 of FIG.4.

FIG. 6 c is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depictingalternate implementations of the access providing operation 404 of FIG.4.

FIG. 6 d is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depictingalternate implementations of the access providing operation 404 of FIG.4.

FIG. 6 e is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depictingalternate implementations of the access providing operation 404 of FIG.4.

FIG. 6 f is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depictingalternate implementations of the access providing operation 404 of FIG.4.

FIG. 6 g is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depictingalternate implementations of the access providing operation 404 of FIG.4.

FIG. 6 h is a high-level logic flowchart of a process depictingalternate implementations of the access providing operation 404 of FIG.4.

FIG. 7 is another high-level logic flowchart of another process.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings,similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless contextdictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in thedetailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting.Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made,without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matterpresented here.

Advances in computing technologies and related technologies (e.g.,visual display technology, battery technology, etc.) in recent yearshave greatly facilitated in the development of computing devices havingincreasingly smaller form factors while still maintaining exceptionalprocessing capabilities. Examples of such mobile computing devicesinclude, for example, laptops, Netbooks, tablet computers (i.e., “slate”computers), e-readers, Smartphones, personal digital assistants (PDAs),and so forth. Because of their compactness, such mobile computingdevices (herein “computing devices”) are becoming much easier to shareamong a plurality of users. That is, due to their small form factors,such devices allow owners of such devices to physically share suchdevices with friends, family, co-workers, clients, and so forth.

Unfortunately, when such devices are shared amongst a plurality of usershaving varying levels of accessing rights to such devices, confidentialdata/applications that are accessible through such devices may alsobecome available to all of these users. For example, suppose a primaryuser (e.g., an owner) of a mobile computing device wants to show aparticular electronic document being displayed through her computingdevice to a group of friends by handing-off the computing device to thegroup of friends. In doing so, the group of friends, in addition tobeing able to view the electronic document, may also have access to manyother things that the primary user may not want the group of friends tohave access to. For example, upon handed the computing device, the groupof friends may be able to view any confidential documents, images,applications, websites, passwords, and so forth, that may be open orrunning at the time that the computing device was handed over to thegroup of friends. Even worse, the group of friends may be able to notjust access open applications and content, but may be able toretrieve/use/modify any content (e.g., documents, image files, audiofiles, etc.) or any applications that may be stored in the computingdevice.

There are countless other situations, some of which will be describedherein, where a mobile computing device (e.g., a tablet computer, ane-reader, a Smartphone, a laptop, and so forth) may be shared between aplurality of users having varying degrees of accessing rights to thedevice. Such situations could potentially result in comprising theconfidentiality/usage of data/applications that may be stored/accessedthrough such a device.

In accordance with various embodiments, computationally implementedmethods, systems, and articles of manufacture are presented that canprovide a particular level of access, via a computing device, to one ormore items (e.g., electronic documents or files including textual,image, audio or video files, applications, passwords, and so forth) inresponse, at least in part, to determining which of a plurality of usersdetected in the proximate vicinity of the computing device has primarycontrol of the computing device. Note that although the “computingdevice” to be described herein will be described/illustrated as being atablet computer, in alternative embodiments, a computing device may takeon other form factors including a variety of other types ofportable/mobile computing devices including, for example, a Smartphone,a laptop computer, a Netbook, an e-reader, a personal digital assistant(PDA), and so forth.

Referring now to FIG. 1 illustrating a computing device 10* in the formof a tablet computer in accordance with various embodiments. For theembodiments, the computing device 10* may have at least a first side 18that includes a display screen 12 (e.g., a touch screen), and a secondside 19 (not visible in FIG. 1 but shown in FIG. 2 c) that is oppositeof the first side 18. As further illustrated in FIG. 1, the first side18 of the computing device 10* may include a center 17 (note that inFIG. 1 a center axis 17 a has been drawn-in that represents an axisoriginating from the center 17 of the first side 18 of the computingdevice 10* and perpendicular to the surface of the display screen 12).In various embodiments, the first side 18 of the computing device 10*may include one or more sensors including one or more visual sensors 124(e.g., one or more cameras including one or more digital cameras,webcams, infrared cameras, and/or other types of image capturingdevices) and/or one or more audio sensors 126 (e.g., one or moremicrophones). Note that although the first side 18 of the computingdevice 10* of FIG. 1 is illustrated as having three visual sensors 124and three audio sensors 126, in alternative embodiments, the first side18 may include alternative number of visual sensors 124 and/or audiosensors 126 than what is depicted in FIG. 1. Further, and although notshown in FIG. 1, in various embodiments, the second side 19 of thecomputing device 10* may also include one or more sensors in the form ofone or more visual sensors 124 and/or one or more audio sensors 126(see, for example, FIG. 2 c, which shows at least one visual sensor 124and at least one audio sensor 126 included in the second side 19 of thecomputing device 10*).

As will be further described herein, in various embodiments, dataprovided by such sensors (e.g., one or more visual sensors 124 and/orone or more audio sensors 126), as well as, in some cases, data providedby one or more movement sensors 122 that may be included with thecomputing device 10*(see FIG. 3 e illustrating some of the types ofsensors 120 that may be included with the computing device 10*), may beused to detect at least the presence of one or more users (e.g., one ormore persons) in the proximate vicinity (e.g., immediate surroundingarea) of the computing device 10*. Examples of movement sensors 122include, for example, accelerometers, inertia sensors, gyroscopes, andso forth. In some embodiments, data from such sensors 120 may also beused/analyzed in order to detect the specific spatial locations,relative to the computing device 10*, of those users detected in theproximate vicinity of the computing device 10*. Still further, data fromsuch sensors 120 may be used in some embodiments in order to identifyusers who have been detected as being in the proximate vicinity of thecomputing device 10*.

As will be further described herein, the illustrated computing device10* may employ the computationally implemented methods, systems, andarticles of manufacture in accordance with various embodiments forproviding a particular level of access to one or more items in responseto determining automatically which of a plurality of users detected inthe proximate vicinity of the computing device 10* has primary controlof the computing device 10*. In particular, the computing device 10* maybe endowed with logic that is designed to, among other things, detectthe presence of a plurality of users in the proximate vicinity of thecomputing device 10*, determine which of the plurality of users detectedin the proximate vicinity of a computing device 10* has primary controlof the computing device 10*, and provide a particular level of access,via the computing device 10*, to one or more items, the particular levelof access to be provided to the one or more items being in response, atleast in part, to determining which of the plurality of users detectedin the proximate vicinity of the computing device 10* has primarycontrol of the computing device 10*. As will be further describedherein, in various embodiments, the determination as to which of theplurality of users detected in the proximate vicinity of the computingdevice 10* has “primary control” of the computing device 10* may bebased on data provided by one or more sensors 120 (see FIG. 3 e) thatmay be included with the computing device 10*.

Turning briefly to FIGS. 3 a and 3 b, FIGS. 3 a and 3 b are two blockdiagrams representing two different implementations of the computingdevice 10* of FIG. 1 illustrated in FIG. 3 a as computing device 10′ andin FIG. 3 b as computing device 10″. In particular, and as will befurther described herein, FIG. 3 a illustrates a computing device 10′that is the “hardwired” or “hard” implementation of the computing device10* of FIG. 1 in which certain logic modules including a primary controldetermining module 102′, an access providing module 104′, and an alertgenerating module 106′ are implemented using purely hardware orcircuitry components (e.g., application specific integrated circuit orASIC). In contrast, FIG. 3 b illustrates a computing device 10″ that isthe “soft” implementation of the computing device 10* of FIG. 1 in whichcertain logic modules including a primary control determining module102″, an access providing module 104″, and an alert generating module106″ are implemented using electronic circuitry such as one or moreprocessors (e.g., microprocessors, controllers, etc.) executing one ormore programming instructions (e.g., software).

For purposes of the following, “*” represents a wildcard. Thus,references in the following to “computing device 10*” may be inreference to the computing device 10′ of FIG. 3 a or to the computingdevice 10″ of FIG. 3 b unless indicated otherwise. It should be notedthat the two implementations of the computing device 10* of FIG. 1illustrated in FIGS. 3 a and 3 b are two extreme or oppositeversions/implementations of the computing device 10* of FIG. 1 in whichcertain logic modules (e.g., the primary control determining module102*, the access providing module 104*, and the alert generating module106*) are implemented using purely “hardware solutions” (e.g.,implemented using circuitry such as ASIC) as illustrated in FIG. 3 a, orusing purely “software solutions” (e.g., implemented using softwareexecuted by hardware such as one or more processors) as illustrated inFIG. 3 b. That is, those having ordinary skill in the art will recognizethat the computing device 10* or at least the logic modules (e.g., theprimary control determining module 102*, the access providing module104*, and the alert generating module 106*) illustrated in FIGS. 3 a and3 b, 3 c, and 3 d may be implemented using essentially any combinationof hardware and software solutions. Since, there are many ways ofcombining hardware, software, and/or firmware in order to implement thevarious logic modules (e.g., the primary control determining module102*, the access providing module 104*, and the alert generating module106*), only the two extreme implementations illustrated in FIGS. 3 a and3 b (e.g., the purely hardware solution as illustrated in FIG. 3 a andthe software solution of FIG. 3 b) are illustrated here. It should benoted here that with respect to the “soft” implementation illustrated inFIG. 3 b, hardware such as one or more processors 116 are still neededin order to execute the software. Further details related to the twoimplementations of computing device 10* illustrated in FIGS. 3 a and 3 bwill be provided in greater detail below.

FIGS. 2 a to 2 d illustrate various exemplary environments in which aplurality of users 20* may be detected in the proximate vicinity of thecomputing device 10*. Referring particularly now to FIG. 2 aillustrating an exemplary environment 200 in which a plurality of users20 a, 20 b, and 20 c are gathered around the computing device 10* ofFIG. 1 in order to jointly use/access the computing device 10*. In someinstances, the plurality of users 20 a, 20 b, and 20 c, may havegathered around the computing device 10* even before the computingdevice 10* was initially powered-on or before the computing device 10*was awaken from a low power (e.g., sleep mode) state. For thesesituations, upon being awaken from a sleep or off-mode, the computingdevice 10* may be designed to automatically activate one or more sensors120 (e.g., one or more visual sensors 124, one or more audio sensors124, and/or one or more movement sensors 122) in order to detectpresence of one or more users 20* in the proximate vicinity of thecomputing device 10*.

Various techniques may be employed in order to detect presence of users20* in the proximate vicinity of the computing device 10*. For example,in some cases, a facial recognition system or software in combinationwith visual data provided by one or more visual sensors 124 (e.g., imagecapturing devices such as webcams and/or digital cameras) may beemployed in order to detect whether the faces of one or more users 20*are in the proximate vicinity of the computing device 10*. Alternativelyor additionally, a voice recognition system or software in combinationwith audio data provided by one or more audio sensors 126 (e.g.,microphones) may be employed in order to detect whether the voices ofone or more users 20* are detected to have originated from the proximatevicinity of the computing device 10*. In still other cases, movementdata provided by one or more movement sensors 122 may additionally oralternatively be used in order to detect whether the computing device10* is exhibiting one or more movements (e.g., a heart or pulse rate)that is determined to be associated with one or more users 20*(e.g.,detection of such signature movements may at least infer that thecomputing device 10* is in physical contact with the one or more users20*). As alluded to above, in some cases, data from a variety of sensors120 (e.g., movement sensors 122, visual sensors 124 and/or audio sensors126) may be employed in order to determine whether one or more users 20*are in the proximate vicinity of the computing device 10*.

If the computing device 10*, or the logic endowed with the computingdevice 10*, determines that a plurality of users 20* are in theproximate vicinity of the computing device 10*, then that computingdevice 10* may be designed to determine which of the plurality of users20* determined to be in the proximate vicinity of the computing device10* has primary control of the computing device 10*. In someembodiments, such a determination may be automatically executed wheneverthe computing device 10*(or its endowed logic) detects that there are aplurality of users 20* in the proximate vicinity of the computing device10*. In some alternative embodiments, and as will be described below,the determination as to which of a plurality of users 20* detected inthe proximate vicinity of the computing device 10* has primary controlof the computing device 10* may be automatically done whenever a user20*(e.g., a primary user or a secondary user having inferior accessrights than the primary user) is detected relinquishing primary controlof the computing device 10*. In various embodiments, the “proximatevicinity” of the computing device 10* may be the immediate areasurrounding the computing device 10* from which a user 20* may access(e.g., hear, see, use, manipulate, modify, and so forth) one or moreitems (e.g., electronic files or documents, software applications, audioor image files, passwords, and so forth) through the computing device10*.

As will be further described herein, the determination as to which users20* detected in the proximate vicinity of the computing device 10* hasprimary control of the computing device 10* may be accomplished in anumber of different ways in various alternative embodiments. Forexample, in some embodiments, the determination as to which users 20*detected in the proximate vicinity of the computing device 10* hasprimary control of the computing device 10* may involve at leastinitially detecting or determining the specific spatial locations of theplurality of users 20* with respect to the computing device 10*. In somecases, this may mean detecting the specific spatial locations of thefaces or eyes of each of the plurality of the users 20* with respect tothe computing device 10* or with respect to the specific orientation ofthe computing device 10*. That is, typically those users 20* detected asbeing on the backside or second side 19 (see FIG. 1) of the computingdevice 10* can be discounted as having primary control when determiningwhich users 20* has primary control of the computing device 10* sinceusers 20* who are determined to be on the second side 19 of thecomputing device 10* will have limited access at least to the displayscreen 12. Thus, a strong inference may be made that those users 20*detected as being on the second side 19 of the computing device 108 willnot have primary control of the computing device 10*.

In various embodiments, the determination of the specific spatiallocations of the plurality of users 20*(e.g., specific spatial locationsof the faces or eyes of the plurality of users 20*) may be based onvisual data provided by one or more visual sensors 124 and/or based onaudio data provided by one or more audio sensors 126. By employing, forexample, parallax techniques, and based on data provided by, forexample, one or more visual sensors 124 (providing image data fromdifferent angles) the specific spatial locations of each of theplurality of users 20* detected in the proximate vicinity of thecomputing device 10* may be determined at least with respect to thecomputing device 10*(e.g., determined relative to the specific spatiallocation of the computing device 10*). In some embodiments, thecomputing device 10* may employ multiple visual sensors 124 and/ormultiple audio sensors 126 in order to more accurately determine thespecific spatial locations of each of the detected users 20*(e.g.,parallax techniques for determining distances typically require aminimum of two different lines of sight) relative to the location of thecomputing device 10*. Thus, more accurate results may be obtained byusing data provided by multiple sensors 120 (e.g., multiple visualsensors 124).

After the computing device 10*(or at least the logic endowed with thecomputing device 10*) determines the specific spatial locations of eachof the plurality of users 20* detected in the proximate vicinity of thecomputing device 10*, a determination may be made by the computingdevice 10* as to which of the detected users 20* has primary control ofthe computing device 10* based on the specific spatial locations of theplurality of users 20*. In order to make such a determination, in someembodiments, the computing device 10* may be designed to determine whichuser 20* detected to be in the proximate vicinity of the computingdevice 10* is actually nearest or closest to the computing device 10*.More particularly, in some cases, the computing device 10* maybedesigned to determine which of the plurality of users 20* is nearest tothe first side 18 (or the display screen 12) of the computing device10*. In various embodiments, those users 20* determined to be nearest tothe computing device 10* or at least to the first side 18 of thecomputing device 10* may be determined to have primary control of thecomputing device 10*. In some embodiments, in order to determine whichuser 20* has primary control of the computing device 10*, the computingdevice 10*(or at least the logic endowed with the computing device 10*)may be additionally or alternatively designed to determine which of theplurality of users 20* is or are spatially located principally on theside of the first side of the computing device 10*. For theseembodiments, the computing device 10* may be designed to determine whichof the plurality of users 20*(e.g., determine which of the eyes or facesof the plurality of users 20*) is or are located centered on the 1^(st)side or spatially centered closest to the center 17 of the first side 18of the computing device 10*. For example, in FIG. 2 a, user 20 b appearsto be nearest to the center 17 of the first side 18 and would,therefore, be considered to have primary control of the computing device10*.

In some embodiments, in order to determine which of the plurality ofusers 20* detected in the proximate vicinity of the computing device 10*has primary control of the computing device 10*, the computing device10* may be designed to detect whether the computing device is exhibitingone or more movements that at least substantially matches with one ormore signature movements (e.g., heart or pulse rate) of one or moreusers 20* detected as being in the proximate vicinity of the computingdevice 10*. By making such a determination, an inference may be madethat those users 20*, whose signature movements appears to be exhibitedby the computing device 10*, may be in contact with the computing device10*, and therefore, has primary control of the computing device 10*.

Note that in cases where multiple users 20* are deemed to have primarycontrol of the computing device 10*, such as in the example scenarioillustrated in FIG. 3 f where two users 20 s and 20 t are located equaldistance from the first side 18 of the computing device 10*, thecomputing device 10* may be designed to use tie-breaker rules in orderto provide the proper level of access to the one or more items as willbe described herein. For example, and as will be further describedbelow, in some embodiments, if two or more users 20* are determined tohave primary control of the computing device 10*(e.g., the faces ofmultiple users 20* are detected to be equal distance from the first side18 of the computing device 10*), then the access to be provided to theone or more items will be based on the access rights of the user 20*having the least or lowest access rights among the two or more users 20*who were determined to have primary control of the computing device 10*.In alternative embodiments, however, the access to be provided to theone or more items will be based on the access rights of the user 20*having the highest access rights among the two or more users 20* whowere determined to have primary control of the computing device 10*.

In addition to determining which of the plurality of users 20* detectedin the proximate vicinity of the computing device 10* has primarycontrol of the computing device 10*, the computing device (or at leastthe logic endowed with the computing device 10*) may be designed todetermine the identities of the one or more users determined to haveprimary control of the computing device 10*. That is, at a minimum, thecomputing device 10* should be able to determine whether those users 20*determined to have primary control of the computing device 10* is or areprimary users (e.g., users such as owners who have superior accessrights to the computing device 10* or to the content/applications thatare available through the computing'device 10*) or secondary users(e.g., users having access rights that are inferior to those of aprimary user). Such a determination may be made prior to, during, orafter determining which of the plurality of users 20* detected in theproximate vicinity of the computing device 10* has primary control ofthe computing device 10*.

At this time, it should be noted that although only two groups of users(e.g., primary and second users) having two distinct levels of accessingrights thus far have been discussed for illustrative purposes and forease of understanding, those having ordinary skill in the arts willrecognize that users 20* of the computing device 10* could very well beclassified into three or more groups of users having three or moredistinct levels of accessing rights to the computing device 10*(or tothe content/applications accessed through the computing device 10*).Thus, the general concepts that were described here although weredirected to systems where only two levels of access rights exists, theseconcepts could be equally applicable to scenarios in which three or moregroups of users having three or more distinct levels of accessing rightsexists.

In some embodiments, the computing device 10* rather than merelydetermining whether a particular user 20* detected as having primarycontrol of the computing device 10* is a primary user or a secondaryuser, may determine the actual identity (e.g., legal name, username, andso forth) of the particular user 20*. Such a determination may be madebased on data provided by one or more sensors 120 (e.g., one or moremovement sensors 122, one or more visual sensors 124, and/or one or moreaudio sensors 126) and using, for example, facial or voice recognitionapplication. Also, when one or more movement sensors 122 (e.g.,accelerometers, inertia devices, gyroscopes, and so forth) are employed,the movement data provided by the one or more movement sensors 122 maybe used in order to determine whether the computing device 10* isexhibiting movements that at least substantially matches with thesignature movements (e.g., heart or pulse rate) of one or moreidentifiable persons. If the computing device 10* does indeed exhibitmovements that match with the signature movements of a specificidentifiable person then the identification of the user 20* havingprimary control of the computing device 10* may be made (although maynot be conclusive since signature movements of each identifiable personmay not be unique to that particular identifiable person).

After determining which user 20* has primary control of the computingdevice 10*, the computing device 10* as alluded to earlier may bedesigned to provide a particular level of access, via the computingdevice, to one or more items, the particular level of access to beprovided being in response, at least in part, to determining which ofthe plurality of users 20* detected in the proximate vicinity of thecomputing device 10* has primary control of the computing device 10*.The type of access to be provided to the one or more items will dependon a number of factors including, for example, what types of items isaccess to be or not to be provided to, and the security preferences ofthe owner of the computing device 10* or system/network administrators.At least three levels of access to the one or more items may be providedvia the computing device 10* in response to determining which of theplurality of users 20* detected in the proximate vicinity of thecomputing device 10* has primary control of the computing device 10*.The three levels of access that could be provided to the one or moreitems are full access, partial access, and/or no access.

Further, depending on whether the one or more items are, for example,textual, image, or audio files, the access that may or may not beprovided may be related to visual and/or audio access to the one or moreitems. In cases where the one or more items are, for example, one ormore productivity documents (e.g., word processing documents,spreadsheet documents, and so forth), the access that is or is not to beprovided may be the right to edit or not edit such documents (e.g., inother words providing the documents in read-only format, partiallyeditable format, or fully editable format). In embodiments where the oneor more items include one or more software applications, the access thatmay or may not be provided to the one or more items include access toone or more functionalities of the one or more software applications. Amore detailed discussion related to the various types of access that mayor may not be provided to the one or more items will be provided belowwith respect to the operations and processes to be described herein.

In some embodiments, the particular level of access to be provided tothe one or more items may, in addition to being in response todetermining which of the users 20* has primary control of the computingdevice 10*, may be in response to ascertaining that the one or moreitems are affiliated with one or more particular entities (e.g.,persons, businesses, websites, and so forth). For example, suppose aprimary user of a computing device 10* wishes to conceal herrelationship with a particular entity. In order to keep such arelationship confidential, the computing device 10*(or the logic endowedwith the computing device 10*) may be designed to obfuscate any itemsthat are ascertained to be affiliated with the particular entitywhenever the computing device 10* is in the primary control of, forexample, a secondary user. Thus, when the computing device 10* detectsthat a secondary user has primary control of the computing device 10*,the computing device 10* may seek out all items that are ascertained tobe affiliated with the particular entity, and to restrict access to suchitems by hiding/disguising these items. Further, upon detecting that theprimary control of the computing device 10* has been returned to theprimary user, greater access may be provided to the items ascertained tobe affiliated with the particular entity. A more detailed discussionrelated to the above “ascertainment” discussion will be provided belowwith respect to the operations and processes to be described herein.

In some embodiments, the computing device 10* in response to providingthe particular level of access to the one or more items may generate analert that indicates that the computing device 10* has been reconfiguredto provide the particular level of access to the one or more items. Bygenerating such an alert, users 20* may be notified to the change in theconfiguration of the computing device 10*(e.g., to indicate that thecomputing device is in a “safe” or “secure” mode or to indicate that thecomputing device 10* is in an “unrestricted” mode). Various types ofalerts may be generated in various alternative embodiments including,for example, an audio alert (e.g., a ring, a buzz, or a voice with avocal message), a particular vibration (e.g., the computing device 10*generating a particular vibration), and/or visual alerts (e.g., a symboldisplayed on a display screen 12 of the computing device 10* or thebackground color of the display screen 12 changing to a pre-definedcolor).

Turning now to FIG. 2 b illustrating another exemplary environment 202in which primary control of the computing device 10* of FIG. 1 is beingrelinquished by a user 20 d by transferring the computing device 10* toa plurality of users 20 e and 20 f. In various embodiments, user 20 dmay be a primary user or a secondary user of the computing device 10*.Similarly, each of the users 20 e and 20 f may be a primary user or asecondary user. In various embodiments, the computing device 10* may bedesigned to detect that the primary control of the computing device 10*is being relinquished by user 20 d based on, for example, data providedby one or more sensors 120 (e.g., one or more movement sensors 122, oneor more visual sensors 124, and/or one or more audio sensors 126). Insome embodiments, the computing devices 10* may additionally oralternatively be designed to detect the presence of multiple users 20 eand 20 f in the proximate vicinity of the computing device 10*.

The detection of the users 20 e and 20 f in the proximate vicinity ofthe computing device 10* in some cases may be based on data provided byone or more sensors 120 (e.g., one or more movement sensors 122, one ormore visual sensors 124, and/or one or more audio sensors 126). Afterdetecting the presence of multiple users 20 e and 20 f in the proximatevicinity of the computing device 10*, the computing device 10* may bedesigned to determine which of the multiple users 20 e and 20 f hasprimary control of the computing device 10*. In various embodiments,such a determination may be based on the spatial locations of themultiple users 20 e and 20 f (e.g., spatial locations of the faces oreyes of users 20 e and 20 f) relative to, for example, the specificorientation of the computing device 10*(e.g., relative to the first side18 of the computing device 10*). For example, in some cases, thecomputing device 10* may be designed to determine which of the users 20e and 20 f (or the faces or eyes of the users 20 e and 200 detected inthe proximate vicinity of the computing device 10* is centered on thefirst side 18 of the computing device 10* or centered nearest to thecenter 17 (e.g., nearest to center axis 17 a) of first side 18 of thecomputing device 10*. Based on the accessing rights of the user (e.g.,user 20 e or user 20 f) determined to have primary control of thecomputing device 10*, a particular level of access may be provided toone or more items (e.g., electronic documents and/or softwareapplications) via the computing device 10*.

Referring now to FIG. 2 c illustrating another exemplary environment 204in which two users, user 20 g and user 20 i joins a third user, user 20h in accessing (e.g., viewing and/or listening to visual and/or audiooutput via display screen and/or speakers, and/or providing input via,for example touchscreen) the computing device 10* of FIG. 1. In variousembodiments, user 20 h may be a primary user or a secondary user of thecomputing device 10*. Similarly, each of the users 20 g and 20 h may bea primary user or a secondary user. In various embodiments, thecomputing device 10* may be designed to detect the presence of multipleusers 20 g, 20 h, and 20 i in the proximate vicinity of the computingdevice 10*. The detection of the users 20 g, 20 h, and 20 i in theproximate vicinity of the computing device 10* in some cases may bebased on data provided by one or more sensors 120 (e.g., one or moremovement sensors 122, one or more visual sensors 124, and/or one or moreaudio sensors 126). After detecting the presence of multiple users 20 g,20 h, and 20 i in the proximate vicinity of the computing device 10*,the computing device 10* may be designed to determine which of themultiple users 20 g, 20 h, and 20 i has primary control of the computingdevice 10*. In various embodiments, such a determination may be based onthe spatial locations of the multiple users 20 g, 20 h, and 20 i (e.g.,spatial locations of the faces or eyes of users 20 g, 20 h, and 20 i)relative to, for example, the specific orientation of the computingdevice 10*(e.g., relative to the first side 18 of the computing device10*). For example, in some cases, the computing device 10* may bedesigned to determine which of the users 20 g, 20 h, and 20 i (or thefaces or eyes of the users 20 g, 20 h, and 20 i) detected in theproximate vicinity of the computing device 10* is centered on the firstside 18 of the computing device 10* or centered nearest to the center 17of first side 18 of the computing device 10*(see FIG. 1). Based on theaccessing rights of the user (e.g., user 20 g, user 20 h, or user 20 i)determined to have primary control of the computing device 10*, aparticular level of access may be provided to one or more items (e.g.,electronic documents and/or software applications) via the computingdevice 10*.

Referring now to FIG. 2 d illustrating another exemplary environment 206in which two users, user 20 s and user 20 t, have joint primary controlof the computing device 10*. In various embodiments, each of the users20 s and 20 t may be a primary user or a secondary user. As before, thecomputing device 10* may be designed to detect the presence of multipleusers 20 s and 20 t in the proximate vicinity of the computing device10*. After detecting the presence of multiple users 20 s and 20 t in theproximate vicinity of the computing device 10*, the computing device 10*may be designed to determine which of the multiple users 20 s and 20 thas primary control of the computing device 10*. In various embodiments,such a determination may be based on the spatial locations of each ofthe multiple users 20 s and 20 t (e.g., spatial locations of the facesor eyes of user 20 s and 20 t) relative to, for example, the specificorientation of the computing device 10*(e.g., relative to the first side18 of the computing device 10*).

For example, in some cases, the computing device 10* may be designed todetermine which of the users 20 s and 20 t (or the faces or eyes of theusers 20 s and 20 t) detected in the proximate vicinity of the computingdevice 10* is centered on the first side 18 of the computing device 10*or centered nearest to the center 17 of first side 18 of the computingdevice 10*(see FIG. 1). If the computing device 10*(or at least thelogic endowed the computing device 10*) determines that multiple users20 s and 20 t have joint primary control of the computing device10*(e.g., users 20 s and 20 t are determined to be equal distance fromthe first side 18 or the center 17 of the first side 18 of the computingdevice 10*), then the computing device 10* may be designed to use one ormore tie-breaker rules to determine/select the particular level ofaccess that may be provided to one or more items via the computingdevice 10*. For example, in some embodiments, the particular level ofaccess to be provided to the one or more items via the computing device10* may be based on the access rights to the computing device 10*(or tothe one or more items) enjoyed by a particular user (e.g., user 20 s oruser 20 t) from the plurality of users (e.g., user 20 s and user 20 t)determined to have primary control of the computing device 10*, theaccess rights of the particular user being the basis for the particularlevel of access to be provided to the one or more items based, at leastin part, on the particular user having the lowest (e.g., least) accessrights to the one or more items among the plurality of users (e.g., user20 s and user 20 t) determined to have primary control of the computingdevice 10*. In some alternative embodiments, the particular level ofaccess to be provided to the one or more items via the computing device10* may be based on the access rights to the computing device 10*(or tothe one or more items) enjoyed by a particular user (e.g., user 20 s oruser 20 t) from the plurality of users (e.g., user 20 s and user 20 t)determined to have primary control of the computing device 10*, theaccess rights of the particular user being the basis for the particularlevel of access to be provided to the one or more items based, at leastin part, on the particular user having the highest (e.g., most) accessrights to the one or more items among the plurality of users (e.g., user20 s and user 20 t) determined to have primary control of the computingdevice 10*.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 a and 3 b illustrating two embodiments(illustrated in FIG. 3 a as computing device 10′ and in FIG. 3 b ascomputing device 10″) of the computing device 10* of FIGS. 1, 2 a, 2 b,2 c, and 2 d. Referring particularly now to FIG. 3 a, which illustratesa computing device 10′ that includes a primary control determiningmodule 102′, an access providing module 104′, an alert generating module106′, a memory 114 (which may store one or more applications 160), oneor more processors 116 (e.g., microprocessors, controllers, etc.), oneor more sensors 120, user interface 110 (e.g., a display screen such asa touchscreen, a keypad, a mouse, a microphone, a speaker, and/or otheruser input/output devices), and a network interface 112 (e.g., networkinterface card or NIC).

In brief, the primary control determining module 102′ of FIG. 3 a is alogic module that is designed to at least determine which of a pluralityof users 20* detected in proximate vicinity of a computing device 10′has primary control of the computing device 10′. In contrast, the accessproviding module 104′ is a logic module that is designed to provide aparticular level of access, via the computing device 10′, to one or moreitems, the particular level of access to be provided to the one or moreitems being in response; at least in part, to said determining which ofthe plurality of users 20* detected in proximate vicinity of a computingdevice 10′ has primary control of the computing device 10′. In furthercontrast, the alert generating module 106′ is a logic module that isdesigned to generate an alert to indicate that the particular level ofaccess has been provided to the one or more items in response to saidproviding of the particular level of access to the one or more items.For this particular embodiment of the computing device 10* of FIGS. 1, 2a, 2 b, 2 c, and 2 d, the three logic modules (e.g., the primary controldetermining module 102′, the access providing module 104′, and the alertgenerating module 106′) are depicted in FIG. 3 a as being implementedusing purely circuitry components (e.g., hardware components) such asapplication specific integrated circuit or ASIC. Thus, the computingdevice 10′ illustrated in FIG. 3 a may be referred to as the “hardwired”or “hard” embodiment of the computing device 10* of FIGS. 1, 3 a, 3 b, 3c, and 3 d.

Turning now to FIG. 3 b, which illustrate a “soft” embodiment of thecomputing device 10* of FIGS. 1, 2 a, 2 b, 2 c, and 2 d in the form ofcomputing device 10*. In particular, FIG. 3 b shows a computing device10″ that has components similar or the same as the components of thecomputing device 10′ of FIG. 3 a. For example, the computing device 10″,similar to computing device 10′ of FIG. 3 a, may comprise of a memory114 (storing one or more applications 160), one or more processors 116,one or more sensors 120, user interface 110, and/or a network interface112. And similar to the computing device 10′ of FIG. 3 a, the computingdevice 10″ of FIG. 3 b may include logic modules including a primarycontrol determining module 102″, an access providing module 104″, and analert generating module 106″ that functionally correspond to and mirrorthe primary control determining module 102′, the access providing module104′, and the alert generating module 106′ of the computing device 10′of FIG. 3 a. However, unlike the logic modules (e.g., the primarycontrol determining module 102′, the access providing module 104′, andthe alert generating module 106′) of the computing device 10′ of FIG. 3a, the logic modules (e.g., the primary control determining module 102″,the access providing module 104″, and the alert generating module 106″)of the computing device 10″ of FIG. 3 b are implemented by one or moreprocessors 116 executing computer readable instructions 152 (e.g.,software and/or firmware) that may be stored in the memory 114.

Note that although FIG. 3 a illustrates all of the logic modules (e.g.,the primary control determining module 102′, the access providing module104′, and the alert generating module 106′) being implemented usingpurely hardware components such as ASIC, and although FIG. 3 billustrates all of the logic modules (e.g., the primary controldetermining module 102″, the access providing module 104″, and the alertgenerating module 106″) being implemented using one or more processors116 executing computer readable instructions 152, in other embodiments,such logic modules may be implemented using a combination of hardwarecomponents (e.g., ASIC) and software components in the form of computerreadable instructions 152 that may be executed using one or moreprocessors 116 (or other types of circuitry such as field programmablegate arrays or FPGAs). For example, in some embodiments, at least one ofthe logic modules (e.g., primary control determining module 102′) may beimplemented using specially designed circuitry (e.g., ASIC) while asecond logic module (e.g., access providing module 104″) may beimplemented using a processor 116 (or other types of programmablecircuitry such as FPGA) executing computer readable instructions 152(e.g., software and/or firmware).

In various embodiments, the memory 114 of the computing device 10′ ofFIG. 3 a and the computing device 10″ of FIG. 3 b may comprise of one ormore of mass storage device, read-only memory (ROM), programmableread-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM),cache memory such as random access memory (RAM), flash memory,synchronous random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory(DRAM), and/or other types of memory devices. In various embodiments,the one or more applications 160 stored in memory 114 of FIGS. 3 a and 3b may include, for example, an operating system (OS) 162, one or moreproductivity applications 164 such as a word processing application or aspreadsheet application, one or more communication applications 166 suchas an email or IM application, one or more personal information managerapplications 168 (e.g., Microsoft Outlook), one or more facialrecognition applications 170, one or more voice recognition applications172, and/or one or more iris scanning applications 174.

Turning now to FIG. 3 c illustrating a particular implementation of theprimary control determining module 102*(e.g., the primary controldetermining module 102′ or the primary control determining module 102″)of FIGS. 3 a and 3 b. As illustrated, the primary control determiningmodule 102* may include one or more sub-logic modules in variousalternative implementations. For example, in various implementations,the primary control determining module 102* may include a user detectingmodule 202 that may further comprise of a user relinquishment detectingmodule 203 (which may further include a movement detecting module 204, avisual cue detecting module 205, and/or an audio cue detecting module206), a user visual detecting module 208, and/or user audible detectingmodule 209. In some embodiments, the primary control determining module102* may also or alternatively include a user spatial location detectingmodule 210 that further comprises a nearest user detecting module 211(which may include a visual nearest user detecting module 212 and/or anaudible nearest user detecting module 213) and/or a centered detectingmodule 214. In some cases, the primary control determining module 102*may additionally or alternatively include a movement detecting module216. Specific details related to the primary control determining module102* as well as the above-described sub-modules of the primary controldetermining module 102* will be provided below with respect to theoperations and processes to be described herein.

Referring now to FIG. 3 d illustrating a particular implementation ofthe access providing module 104*(e.g., the access providing module 104′or the access providing module 104″) of FIGS. 3 a and 3 b. Asillustrated, the access providing module 104* may include one or moresub-logic modules in various alternative implementations. For example,in various implementations, the access providing module 104* may includea viewing access providing module 230 that may additionally include avisual hiding module 232 (which may further include a visualrepresentation replacing module 234) and/or a visual representationproviding module 236 (which may further include a locum tenentesreplacing module 238). In some implementations, the access providingmodule 104* may additionally or alternatively include an audio accessproviding module 240 that includes an audio hiding module 242 (which mayfurther include an audio representation replacing module 244) and/or anaudio representation providing module 246 (which may further include alocum tenentes replacing module 248). In the same or differentimplementations, the access providing module 104* may include aneditable format presenting module 250, a non-editable format presentingmodule 252, a functional format presenting module 254, and/or an entityaffiliation ascertaining module 256. Specific details related to theaccess providing module 104* as well as the above-described sub-modulesof the access providing module 104* will be provided below with respectto the operations and processes to be described herein.

FIG. 3 e illustrates a particular implementation of the one or moresensors 120 that may be included with the computing device 10*(e.g., thecomputing device 10′ of FIG. 3 a or the computing device 10″ of FIG. 3b) of FIGS. 1, 2 a, 2 b, 2 c, and 2 d. As illustrated, the one or moresensors 120 that may be included with the computing device 10* mayinclude one or more movement sensors 122 (e.g., one or moreaccelerometers, inertia sensors, and/or gyro sensors), one or morevisual sensors 124 (e.g., a web cam, a digital camera, an infraredcamera, and/or other image capturing devices), and/or one or more audiosensors 126 (e.g., microphones).

Referring to FIG. 3 f illustrating a particular implementation of thealert generating module 106*(e.g., the alert generating module 106′ orthe alert generating module 106″) of FIGS. 3 a and 3 b. As furtherillustrated in FIG. 3 f, the alert generating module 106* may include asound generating module 280, a vibration generating module 282, and/or avisual alert generating module 284. Specific details related to thealert generating module 106* as well as the above-described sub-modulesof the alert generating module 106* will be provided below with respectto the operations and processes to be described herein.

A more detailed discussion related to the computing device 10* of FIGS.1, 2 a, 2 b, 2 c, and 2 d (e.g., the computing device 10′ of FIG. 3 a orthe computing device 10″ of FIG. 3 b) will now be provided with respectto the processes and operations to be described herein. FIG. 4illustrates an operational flow 400 representing example operations for,among other things, providing a particular level of access, via thecomputing device 10*, to one or more items (e.g., software applications,electronic documents including productivity documents, audio or imagefiles, electronic messages including emails and voice mails, passwords,so forth), the particular level of access to be provided to the one ormore items being in response, at least in part, to determining which ofa plurality of users detected in the proximate vicinity of the computingdevice 10* has primary control of the computing device 10*. In FIG. 4and in the following figures that include various examples ofoperational flows, discussions and explanations will be provided withrespect to the exemplary environment 100 described above and asillustrated in FIG. 1 and/or with respect to other examples (e.g., asprovided in FIGS. 1, 2 a, 2 b, 2 c, 2 d, 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d, 3 e, and 3f) and contexts. However, it should be understood that the operationalflows may be executed in a number of other environments and contexts,and/or in modified versions of FIGS. 1, 2 a, 2 b, 2 c, 2 d, 3 a, 3 b, 3c, 3 d, 3 e, and 3 f. Also, although the various operational flows arepresented in the sequence(s) illustrated, it should be understood thatthe various operations may be performed in other orders other than thosewhich are illustrated, or may be performed concurrently.

Further, in FIG. 4 and in the figures to follow thereafter, variousoperations may be depicted in a box-within-a-box manner. Such depictionsmay indicate that an operation in an internal box may comprise anoptional example embodiment of the operational step illustrated in oneor more external boxes. However, it should be understood that internalbox operations may be viewed as independent operations separate from anyassociated external boxes and may be performed in any sequence withrespect to all other illustrated operations, or may be performedconcurrently. Still further, these operations illustrated in FIG. 4 aswell as the other operations to be described herein are performed by atleast one or more of a machine, an article of manufacture, and/or acomposition of matter unless indicated otherwise.

In any event, after a start operation, the operational flow 400 of FIG.4 may move to a primary control determining operation 402 fordetermining which of a plurality of users detected in proximate vicinityof a computing device has primary control of the computing device. Forinstance, and as an illustration, the primary control determining module102*(e.g., the primary control determining module 102′ of FIG. 3 a orthe primary control determining module 102″ of FIG. 3 b) of thecomputing device 10* of FIG. 1 (e.g., the computing device 10′ of FIG. 3a or the computing device 10″ of FIG. 3 b) determining which of aplurality of users 20* detected in proximate vicinity of a computingdevice 10* has primary control of the computing device 10*. In variousimplementations, such an operation may be performed by at least one of amachine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter. Note that invarious implementations, and as will be further described herein, aparticular user 20*(or a group of particular users 20*) from a pluralityof users 20* detected in the proximate vicinity of a computing device10* may have “primary control” of the computing device 10* when the user20* (or users 20*) is located nearest or closest to the computing device10*, is situated in a particular location or locations with respect tothe computing device 10 such as being located directly in “front” of thecomputing device 10*, and/or is in physical contact with the computingdevice 10*. For purposes of the following, and unless indicatedotherwise, the phrase “proximate vicinity” may be in reference to theimmediate area surrounding a computing device 10* from which a user 20*may directly interact (e.g., the immediate area surrounding a computingdevice 10* from which a user 20* may see/hear output generated by thecomputing device via display screen and/or speakers, and/or from whichthe user 20* can provide direct input to the computing device 10* via,touch screen, keyboard, or microphone) with the computing device 10*.

In addition to the primary determining operation 402, operational flow400 may also include an access providing operation 404 for providing aparticular level of access, via the computing device, to one or moreitems, the particular level of access to be provided to the one or moreitems being in response, at least in part, to said determining asfurther illustrated in FIG. 4. For instance, the access providing module104*(e.g., access providing module 104′ of FIG. 3 a or access providingmodule 104″ of FIG. 3 b) of the computing device 10* of FIG. 1 (e.g.,the computing device 10′ of FIG. 3 a or the computing device 10″ of FIG.3 b) providing a particular level of access, via the computing device10*, to one or more items (e.g, applications, documents, image or audiofiles, passwords, and so forth), the particular level of access (e.g.,full, partial, or no access to the one or more items) to be provided tothe one or more items being in response, at least in part, to saiddetermining which of the plurality of users 20* detected in theproximate vicinity of the computing device 10* has primary control ofthe computing device 10*.

The types of access to be or not to be provided to the one or more itemsmay, in some instances, depend on the type of items are the access beingprovided to. For example, if the one or more items that the particularlevel of access is provided to are one or more software applications,then providing access to such items may involve allowing (or notallowing) use of one or more functionalities associated with such items,which may or may not have been previously available for use prior to thedetermination that the computing device 10* was in the primary controlof a particular user 20*. For example, if the one or more items includea productivity application such as a word processing application, thenproviding a particular level of access to such an application mayinvolve enabling (or disabling) one or more functionalities such asediting functions of the application or other functions such as a savingfunction, which may or may not have been available prior to determiningwhich of the plurality of users 20* detected in the proximate vicinityof the computing device 10* had primary control of the computing device10*.

If, on the other hand, the one or more items that the particular levelof access is provided to includes a messaging application such as anemail application then the particular level of access to be provided maybe related to a sending or saving functionality. In contrast, if the oneor more items include one or more electronic documents or files such as,for example, productivity documents including word processing documents,image or audio files, and electronic messages (emails or voicemails)then the particular level of access that may be provided to such itemsmay be related to editorial access to such items and/or general visualand/or audio accessibility to view/listen to such items. In any event,the various levels of access (which may include no access) to thevarious types of items that may be provided will be described in greaterherein.

As will be described below, the primary control determining operation402 and the access providing operation 404 of FIG. 4 may be executed ina variety of different ways in various alternative implementations.FIGS. 5 a, 5 b, 5 c, 5 d, and 5 e for example, illustrate at least someof the alternative ways that the primary control determining operation402 of FIG. 4 may be executed in various alternative implementations.For example, in various implementations, the primary control determiningoperation 402 of FIG. 4 may include an operation 502 for determiningautomatically which of the plurality of users detected in the proximatevicinity of the computing device has primary control of the computingdevice as depicted in FIG. 5 a. For instance, the primary controldetermining module 102*(e.g., the primary control determining module102′ of FIG. 3 a or the primary control determining module 102″ of FIG.3 b) including the user detecting module 202 (see FIG. 3 c) of thecomputing device 10* of FIG. 1 (e.g., the computing device 10′ of FIG. 3a or the computing device 10″ of FIG. 3 b) determining automatically(e.g., without interference from the users 20*) which of the pluralityof users 20* detected by the user detecting module 202 as being in theproximate vicinity of the computing device 10* has primary control ofthe computing device 10*.

The operation 502 for automatically determining which of the pluralityof users 20* detected in the proximate vicinity of the computing device10* has primary control of the computing device 10* may be implementedin a number of different ways in various alternative embodiments asfurther illustrated in FIG. 5 a. For example, in some implementations,operation 502 may include an operation 503 for determining automaticallywithout being prompted by the plurality of users which of the users hasprimary control of the computing device. For instance, the primarycontrol determining module 102* of the computing device 10* of FIG. 1(e.g., the computing device 10′ of FIG. 3 a or the computing device 10″of FIG. 3 b) determining automatically without being prompted (orinitiated) by any of the plurality of users 20* which of the users 20*detected in the proximate vicinity of the computing device 10* hasprimary control of the computing device 10*.

In the same or alternative implementations, operation 502 may include anoperation 504 for determining automatically which of the plurality ofusers detected in the proximate vicinity of the computing device hasprimary control of the computing device in response to detecting that auser has relinquished primary control of the computing device. Forinstance, the primary control determining module 102* including the userrelinquishment detecting module 203 (see FIG. 3 c) of the computingdevice 10* of FIG. 1 (e.g., the computing device 10′ of FIG. 3 a or thecomputing device 10″ of FIG. 3 b) determining automatically which of theplurality of users 20* detected in the proximate vicinity of thecomputing device 10* has primary control of the computing device 10* inresponse to detecting by the user relinquishment detecting module 203that a user 20*(e.g., user 20 d in FIG. 2 b) has relinquished primarycontrol of the computing device 10*. In various implementations, thedetection of a user relinquishing primary control of the computingdevice 10* may be as a result of analyzing data provided by one or moresensors 120 including one or more movement sensors 122 (e.g., sensorsfor detecting movements of the computing device 10* such as anaccelerometer), visual sensors 124 (e.g., digital or webcam), and/or oneor more audio sensors 126 (e.g., microphones). Data collected by suchsensors may provide visual, audio, and/or movement cues that at leastinfers that primary control over the computing device 10* is or has beenrelinquished by a user 20*(e.g., the computing device 10* has beentransferred from one user 20* to another user 20*).

As further illustrated in FIG. 5 a, operation 504 may be implemented ina number of different ways in various alternative implementations. Forexample, in some implementations, operation 504 may include an operation505 for determining automatically which of the plurality of usersdetected in the proximate vicinity of the computing device has primarycontrol of the computing device in response to detecting that a primaryuser has relinquished primary control of the computing device, theprimary user having superior access rights via the computing device tothe one or more items than one or more secondary users of the computingdevice as further depicted in FIG. 5 a. For instance, the primarycontrol determining module 102* including the user relinquishmentdetecting module 203 of the computing device 10* of FIG. 1 determiningautomatically which of the plurality of users 20* detected in theproximate vicinity of the computing device 10* has primary control ofthe computing device 10* in response to detecting by the userrelinquishment detecting module 203 that a primary user has relinquishedprimary control (e.g., actual or constructive possession) of thecomputing device 10*, the primary user having superior (greater) accessrights via the computing device 10* to the one or more items than one ormore secondary users of the computing device 10*.

A determination as to whether a particular user is a primary user or asecondary user may be made using a number of different techniques. Forexample, in some embodiments, a biometric system or software may beemployed in order to automatically determine whether a particular user20* including a user 20* detected as having primary control of thecomputing device 10* is a primary user or a secondary user. Examples ofsuch systems include, for example, facial recognition systems, eye oriris scanning systems, voice recognition systems, and so forth. Othertechniques may additionally or alternatively be used in order todetermine whether a particular user, such as the user having primarycontrol over the computing device 10*, is a primary user or a seconduser of the computing device 10*. For example, well-known securitytechniques, such as password requirements, may be used in order todetermine, for example, whether the user having primary control over thecomputing device 10* is a primary user of the computing device 10*(e.g.,if the computing device 10* determines that the appropriate password hasnot been entered than an inference may be made that the user havingprimary control over the computing device 10* may not be a primary user,and instead, may be a secondary user).

In some implementations, operation 504 may include an operation 506 fordetermining automatically which of the plurality of users detected inthe proximate vicinity of the computing device has primary control ofthe computing device in response to detecting that a secondary user hasrelinquished primary control of the computing device, the secondary userhaving inferior access rights via the computing device to the one ormore items than one or more primary users of the computing device. Forinstance, the primary control determining module 102* including the userrelinquishment detecting module 203 of the computing device 10* of FIG.1 determining automatically which of the plurality of users 20* detectedin the proximate vicinity of the computing device 10* has primarycontrol of the computing device 10* in response to detecting by the userrelinquishment detecting module 203 that a secondary user hasrelinquished primary control of the computing device 10*, the secondaryuser having inferior access rights via the computing device 10* to theone or more items than one or more primary users of the computing device10*.

In some implementations, operation 504 may include an operation 507 fordetermining automatically which of the plurality of users detected inthe proximate vicinity of the computing device has primary control ofthe computing device in response to detecting that a user hasrelinquished primary control of the computing device, the detectionbeing based on one or more movements of the computing device, one ormore visual cues, and/or one or more audio cues that when detectedinfers transfer of the computing device from the user. For instance, theprimary control determining module 102* including the userrelinquishment detecting module 203 of the computing device 10* of FIG.1 determining automatically which of the plurality of users 20* detectedin the proximate vicinity of the computing device 10* has primarycontrol of the computing device 10* in response to detecting by the userrelinquishment detecting module 203 that a user 20* has relinquishedprimary control of the computing device 10*, the detection being basedon one or more movements of the computing device 10*(as detected by themovement detecting module 204 based on data provided by one or moremovement sensors 122), one or more visual cues (as detected by thevisual cue detecting module 205 based on data provided by one or morevisual sensors 124), and/or one or more audio cues (as detected by theaudio cue detecting module 206 based on data provided by one or moreaudio sensors 126) that when detected infers transfer of the computingdevice 10* from the user 20*.

In some implementations, the operation 502 for determining automaticallywhich of the plurality of users detected in the proximate vicinity ofthe computing device has primary control of the computing device mayadditionally or alternatively include an operation 508 for determiningautomatically which of the plurality of users detected in the proximatevicinity of the computing device has primary control of the computingdevice in response to detecting presence of the plurality of users inthe proximate vicinity of the computing device as depicted in FIG. 5 a.For instance, the primary control determining module 102* including theuser detecting module 202 of the computing device 10* of FIG. 1determining automatically which of the plurality of users 20* detectedin the proximate vicinity of the computing device 10* has primarycontrol of the computing device 10* in response to detecting, by theuser detecting module 202, presence of the plurality of users 20* in theproximate vicinity of the computing device 10*.

Turning now to FIG. 5 b, in some cases, the primary control determiningoperation 402 of FIG. 4 may include an operation 509 for detecting theplurality of users being in the proximate vicinity of the computingdevice based, at least in part, on data provided by one or more sensors.For instance, the user detecting module 202 of the computing device 10*detecting the plurality of users 20* being in the proximate vicinity ofthe computing device 10* based, at least in part, on data provided byone or more sensors 120. In some cases, the one or more sensors 120 maybe integrated into the computing device 10*.

As further illustrated in FIG. 5 b, in various implementations operation509 may include one or more operations including, for example, operation510 for detecting the plurality of users being in the proximate vicinityof the computing device based, at least in part, on data provided by oneor more movement sensors. For instance, the user detecting module 202 ofthe computing device 10* detecting the plurality of users being in theproximate vicinity of the computing device 10* based, at least in part,on data provided by one or more movement sensors 122 (e.g., one or moreinertia sensors, accelerometers such as three-axis or 3D accelerometers,gyroscopes, and so forth). Such movement sensors 122 may be designed todetect a variety of movements that may be exhibited by the computingdevice 10* including, for example, vibration or spatial movements as aresult of being in contact with one or more users 20*.

In the same or different implementations, operation 509 may include anoperation 511 for detecting the plurality of users being in theproximate vicinity of the computing device based, at least in part, ondata provided by one or more visual sensors. For instance, the userdetecting module 202 of the computing device 10* detecting the pluralityof users 20* being in the proximate vicinity of the computing device 10*based, at least in part, on data provided by one or more visual sensors124 (e.g., digital cameras, webcams, infrared cameras, and so forth).

In the same or different implementations, operation 509 may include anoperation 512 for detecting the plurality of users being in theproximate vicinity of the computing device based, at least in part, ondata provided by one or more audio sensors. For instance, the userdetecting module 202 of the computing device 10* detecting the pluralityof users 20* being in the proximate vicinity of the computing device 10*based, at least in part, on data provided by one or more audio sensors126 (e.g., one or more microphones).

In some cases, operation 509 may include an operation 513 for detectingthe plurality of users being in the proximate vicinity of the computingdevice based, at least in part, on data provided by at least two or morecombinations of a movement sensor, a visual sensor, and an audio sensor.For instance, the user detecting module 202 of the computing device 10*detecting the plurality of users 20* being in the proximate vicinity ofthe computing device 10* based, at least in part, on data provided by atleast two or more combinations of a movement sensor 122, a visual sensor124, and an audio sensor 126.

In the same or different implementations, operation 509 may include anoperation 514 for detecting the plurality of users being within adistance from the computing device from which a user can at least be atleast visually detected using the one or more sensors included with thecomputing device. For instance, the user detecting module 202 of thecomputing device 10* detecting the plurality of users 20* being within adistance from the computing device 10* from which a user 20* can atleast be at least visually detected by, for example, the user visualdetecting module 208 (see FIG. 3 c) using the one or more sensors 120(e.g., one or more visual sensors 124) included with the computingdevice 10*.

As further illustrated in FIG. 5 b, in some cases, operation 514 mayfurther include an operation 515 for detecting the plurality of usersbeing within a distance from the computing device from which a face of auser can be at least visually detected using the one or more sensors.For instance, the user detecting module 202 of the computing device 10*detecting the plurality of users 20 being within a distance from thecomputing device 10* from which a face of a user 20* can be at leastvisually detected by, for example, the user visual detecting module 208using the one or more sensors 120 (e.g., one or more visual sensors124). In some cases, in order to facilitate such an operation, the uservisual detecting module 208 may comprise of a facial recognition systemor software.

In some implementations, operation 515 may include an operation 516 fordetecting the plurality of users being within a distance from thecomputing device from which a face of a user can be visually detected asnot belonging to a primary user of the computing device. For instance,the user detecting module 202 of the computing device 10* detecting theplurality of users 20* being within a distance from the computing device10* from which a face of a user 20 can be visually detected by, forexample, the user visual detecting module 208, as not belonging to aprimary user of the computing device 10*. The primary user of thecomputing device 10* may be any user having via the computing device 10*superior access rights to one or more items than other users such assecondary users of the computing device 10*. In some cases, a primaryuser of a computing device 10* may be an actual or constructive owner ofthe computing device 10*(a constructive owner is a person who has beenassigned to or is somehow particularly associated with the computingdevice 10* such that the person has superior access rights to thecomputing device 10* than a third party).

As further illustrated in FIG. 5 b, in some implementations, operation516 may in turn include an operation 517 for detecting the plurality ofusers being within a distance from the computing device from which aface of a user can be visually detected as belonging to a third party.For instance, the user detecting module 202 of the computing device 10*detecting the plurality of users 20* being within a distance from thecomputing device 10* from which a face of a user 20* can be visuallydetected by, for example, the user visual detecting module 208, asbelonging to a third party (e.g., a secondary user having inferioraccess rights to the one or more items than a primary user of thecomputing device 10*).

In some alternative implementations, operation 515 for detecting theplurality of users being within a distance-from the computing devicefrom which a face of a user can be at least visually detected using theone or more sensors may include an operation 518 for detecting theplurality of users being within a distance from the computing devicefrom which a face of a user can be visually detected as belonging to aprimary user of the computing device. For instance, the user detectingmodule 202 of the computing device 10* detecting the plurality of users20* being within a distance from the computing device 10* from which aface of a user 20* can be visually detected by, for example, the uservisual detecting module 208, as belonging to a primary user of thecomputing device 10*.

Turning to FIG. 5 c, in some cases, operation 509 for detecting theplurality of users being in the proximate vicinity of the computingdevice based, at least in part, on data provided by one or more sensorsmay include an operation 519 for detecting the plurality of users beingwithin a distance from the computing device from which a user can atleast be audibly detected using the one or more sensors included withthe computing device. For instance, the user detecting module 202 of thecomputing device 10* detecting the plurality of users 20* being within adistance from the computing device 10* from which a user 20* can atleast be audibly detected by, for example, the user audible detectingmodule 209 using the one or more sensors 120 included with the computingdevice 10*.

As further illustrated in FIG. 5 c, in various implementations,operation 519 may include one or more additional operations including,for example, an operation 520 for detecting the plurality of users beingwithin a distance from the computing device from which a voice of a usercan be audibly detected. For instance, the user detecting module 202 ofthe computing device 10* detecting the plurality of users 20* beingwithin a distance from the computing device 10* from which a voice of auser can be audibly detected by, for example, the user audible detectingmodule 209. In some cases, the user audible detecting module 209 mayemploy a voice recognition system or software in order to facilitatesuch an operation.

In some implementations, operation 520 may include an operation 521 fordetecting the plurality of users being within a distance from thecomputing device from which a voice of a user can be audibly detected asnot belonging to a primary user of the computing device. For instance,the user detecting module 202 of the computing device 10* detecting theplurality of users 10* being within a distance from the computing device10* from which a voice of a user 20* can be audibly detected by, forexample, the user audible detecting module 209 as not belonging to aprimary user of the computing device 10*.

In some instances, operation 521 may include an operation 522 fordetecting the plurality of users being within a distance from thecomputing device from which a voice of a user can be audibly detected asbelonging to a third party. For instance, the user detecting module 202of the computing device 10* detecting the plurality of users 10* beingwithin a distance from the computing device 10* from which a voice of auser can be audibly detected by, for example, the user audible detectingmodule 209 as belonging to a third party (e.g., a secondary user havinginferior access rights to the one or more items than a primary user ofthe computing device 10*).

In some implementations, operation 520 may include an operation 523 fordetecting the plurality of users being within a distance from thecomputing device from which a voice of a user can be audibly detected asbelonging to a primary user of the computing device. For instance, theuser detecting module 202 of the computing device 10* detecting theplurality of users 10* being within a distance from the computing device10* from which a voice of a user 20* can be audibly detected by, forexample, the user audible detecting module 209 as belonging to a primaryuser (e.g., owner) of the computing device 10*.

In various implementations, operation 509 for detecting the plurality ofusers being in the proximate vicinity of the computing device based, atleast in part, on data provided by one or more sensors may include anoperation 524 for detecting the plurality of users being in theproximate vicinity of the computing device by detecting presence of allusers who are within a predefined distance from the computing device.For instance, the user detecting module 202 of the computing device 10*detecting the plurality of users 20* being in the proximate vicinity ofthe computing device 10* by detecting presence of all users who arewithin a predefined distance (e.g., within three feet, four feet, fivefeet, or within some other distance) from the computing device 10*.

Turning to FIG. 5 d, the primary control determining operation 402 ofFIG. 4 may employ a number of different techniques in order to determinewhich of the plurality of users 20* detected in the proximate vicinityof the computing device 10* has primary control of the computing device10*. For example, in various implementations, the primary controldetermining operation 402 may include an operation 525 for detectingspatial locations of the plurality of users with respect to thecomputing device. For instance, the user spatial location detectingmodule 210 (see FIG. 3 c) of the computing device 10* detecting spatiallocations of the plurality of users 20* with respect to the computingdevice 10*(e.g., detecting spatial locations of the plurality of users20* with respect to the side of the computing device 10* that comprisesa display screen 12.

As further illustrated in FIG. 5 d, operation 525 may include one ormore additional operations in various alternative implementations. Forexample, in some cases, operation 525 may include an operation 526 fordetecting which of the plurality of users is or are spatially nearest tothe computing device. For instance, the nearest user detecting module211 (see FIG. 2 c) of the computing device 10* of FIG. 3 a or FIG. 3 bdetecting which of the plurality of users 20* is or are spatiallynearest to the computing device 10*. In some cases, those users 20*determined to be spatially nearest to the computing device 10* may atleast be inferred as having primary control of the computing device 10*.

In some cases operation 526 may include an operation 527 for detectingvisually which of the plurality of users is or are spatially nearest tothe computing device. For instance, the visual nearest user detectingmodule 212 (see FIG. 3 c) of the computing device 10* detecting visuallyvia, for example, one or more visual sensors 124, which of the pluralityof users 20* is or are spatially nearest to the computing device 10*.

In some cases, operation 527 may further include an operation 528 fordetecting visually that one or more particular detected faces from aplurality of detected faces belonging to the plurality of users detectedin the proximate vicinity of the computing device as being visuallynearest to the computing device. For instance, the visual nearest userdetecting module 212 of the computing device 10* detecting visually thatone or more particular detected faces from a plurality of detected facesbelonging to the plurality of users 20* detected in the proximatevicinity of the computing device 10* as being visually nearest to thecomputing device 10*. In other words, the visual nearest user detectingmodule 212 may detect which faces of the plurality of users 20* detectedin the proximate vicinity of the computing device 10* as being visuallynearest to the computing device 10*.

In the same or different implementations, operation 526 for detectingwhich of the plurality of users is or are spatially nearest to thecomputing device may include an operation 529 for detecting audiblywhich of the plurality of users is or are audibly nearest to thecomputing device. For instance, the audible nearest user detectingmodule 213 (see FIG. 3 c) of the computing device 10* detecting audiblyvia, for example, one or more audio sensors 126, which of the pluralityof users 20* is or are audibly nearest to the computing device 10*.

As further illustrated in FIG. 5 d, operation 529 may further include insome implementations an operation 530 for detecting audibly that one ormore particular detected voices from a plurality of detected voicesassociated with the plurality of users detected in the proximatevicinity of the computing device as being audibly nearest to thecomputing device. For instance, the audible nearest user detectingmodule 213 of the computing device 10* detecting audibly that one ormore particular detected voices from a plurality of detected voicesassociated with the plurality of users 20* detected in the proximatevicinity of the computing device 10* as being audibly nearest to thecomputing device 10*. In other words, the audible nearest user detectingmodule 213 may detect which voices of the plurality of users 20*detected in the proximate vicinity of the computing device 10* as beingaudibly originating from a point or points nearest to the computingdevice 10*.

In the same or different implementations, operation 529 may include anoperation 531 for detecting visually and audibly which of the pluralityof users is or are visually and audibly nearest to the computing deviceas further depicted in FIG. 5 d. For instance, the visual nearest userdetecting module 212 and the audible nearest user detecting module 213of the computing device 10* respectively detecting visually and audiblywhich of the plurality of users 20* is or are visually and audiblynearest to the computing device 10*. Those determined to be nearest tothe computing device 10* may be inferred as having primary control ofthe computing device 10* in some implementations.

In the same or different implementations, operation 525 may additionallyor alternatively include an operation 532 for detecting spatiallocations of the plurality of the users relative to specific orientationof the computing device, the computing device having at least a firstside and a second side opposite of the first side, the first side havingat least a display screen as further illustrated in FIG. 5 d. Forinstance, the user spatial location detecting module 210 of thecomputing device 10* detecting spatial locations of the plurality of theusers 20 relative to specific orientation of the computing device 10*,the computing device 10* having at least a first side 18 and a secondside 19 opposite of the first side 18 (see, for example, FIG. 1), thefirst side 18 having at least a display screen 12.

As further illustrated in FIG. 5 d, in some implementations, operation532 may include one or more additional operations including an operation533 for detecting which of the plurality of users is or are spatiallylocated principally on the side of the first side of the computingdevice. For instance, the user spatial location detecting module 210 ofthe computing device 10* detecting which of the plurality of users 20*is or are spatially located principally on the side of the first side 18of the computing device 10*.

In some cases, operation 533 may further include an operation 534 fordetecting which of the users is spatially located centered on the firstside or spatially centered closest to center of the first side. Forinstance; the centered detecting module 214 (see FIG. 3 c) of thecomputing device 10* detecting which of the users 20* is spatiallylocated centered on the first side 18 or spatially centered closest tocenter 17 of the first side 18.

In some implementations, operation 534 may include an operation 535 fordetecting an eye or a pair of eyes that are centered or nearest tocenter of the first side of the computing device, the eye or the pair ofeyes that are detected belonging to one of the plurality of users. Forinstance, the centered detecting module 214 (see FIG. 3 c) of thecomputing device 10* detecting an eye or a pair of eyes (e.g., iris or apair of irises) that are centered or nearest to center 17 of the firstside 18 of the computing device 10*, the eye or the pair of eyes thatare detected belonging to one of the plurality of users 20*.

In the same or different implementations, operation 534 may include anoperation 536 for detecting a face that is centered or nearest to centerof the first side of the computing device, the face that is detectedbelonging to one of the plurality of users. For instance, the centereddetecting module 214 (see FIG. 3 c) of the computing device 10*detecting a face that is centered or nearest to center 17 of the firstside 18 of the computing device 10*, the face that is detected belongingto one of the plurality of users 20*.

In some implementations, in order to determine which user 20* detectedin the proximate vicinity of the computing device 10* has primarycontrol of the computing device 10* the primary control determiningoperation 402 of FIG. 4 may include one or more operations for detectingmovements of the computing device 10*. For example, in some cases, theprimary control determining operation 402 may include an operation 537for detecting that the computing device is exhibiting one or moremovements that at least substantially matches with one or more signaturemovements of a particular user from the plurality of users detected inthe proximate vicinity of the computing device as illustrated in FIG. 5e. For instance, the movement detecting module 216 (see FIG. 3 c) of thecomputing device 10* detecting that the computing device 10* isexhibiting one or more movements that at least substantially matcheswith one or more signature movements (e.g., heart beat or pulse rate) ofa particular user 20* from the plurality of users 20* detected in theproximate vicinity of the computing device 10*. Such detected movementsof the computing device 10* may be as a result of the computing device10* being in contact with the particular user 20*.

As further illustrated in FIG. 5 e, operation 537 may, in someimplementations, include an operation 538 for detecting that thecomputing device is exhibiting one or more movements that at leastsubstantially matches with one or more signature movements of a primaryuser of the computing device, the primary user having greater accessrights to the computing device than one or more secondary users of thecomputing device. For instance, the movement detecting module 216 of thecomputing device 10* detecting that the computing device 10* isexhibiting one or more movements that at least substantially matcheswith one or more signature movements of a primary user of the computingdevice 10*, the primary user (e.g., owner of the computing device 10*)having greater access rights to the computing device 10* than one ormore secondary users of the computing device 10*.

In the same or different implementations, operation 537 may include anoperation 539 for detecting that the computing device is exhibiting oneor more movements that at least substantially matches with one or moresignature movements of a secondary user of the computing device, thesecondary user having inferior access rights to the computing devicethan one or more primary users of the computing device. For instance,the movement detecting module 216 of the computing device 10* detectingthat the computing device 10* is exhibiting one or more movements thatat least substantially matches with one or more signature movements of asecondary user of the computing device 10*, the secondary user havinginferior access rights to the computing device 10* than one or moreprimary users of the computing device 10*.

In the same or different implementations, primary control determiningoperation 402 of FIG. 4 may include an operation 540 for detecting thatthe computing device is exhibiting one or more movements that althoughis determined to be associated with a human does not match withsignature movements of one or more primary users of the computingdevice, the one or more primary users having greater access rights tothe computing device than one or more secondary users of the computingdevice as illustrated. For instance, the movement detecting module 216of the computing device 10* detecting that the computing device 10* isexhibiting one or more movements that although is determined to beassociated with a human (e.g., exhibiting movements such as vibrationcaused by the pulse or heart rate of a human user when the human user isin contact with the computing device 10*) does not match with signaturemovements of one or more primary users of the computing device 10*, theone or more primary users having greater access rights to the computingdevice 10* than one or more secondary users of the computing device 10*.Such an operation may be particularly relevant, for example, when thereis only interest in determining whether a primary user of the computingdevice 10* does or does not have primary control of the computing device10*. That is, in some implementations, there may only be two availablelevels of access to the one or more items, one level of access when aprimary user has primary control of the computing device 10* and asecond level of access whenever the primary user does not have primarycontrol of the computing device 10*.

Referring back to the access providing operation 404 of FIG. 4, theaccess providing operation 404 similar to the primary controldetermining operation 402 of FIG. 4 may be executed in a number ofdifferent ways in various alternative embodiments as illustrated inFIGS. 6 a, 6 b, 6 c, 6 d, 6 e, 6 f, 6 g, and 6 h. For example, variouslevels of access as well as various types of access to the one or moreitems may be provided by the access process operation 404 in variousalternative implementations. In some implementations, for example, theaccess providing operation 404 of FIG. 4 may include an operation 641for providing unrestricted access, via the computing device, to the oneor more items, the unrestricted access to be provided to the one or moreitems being in response, at least in part, to said determining asillustrated in FIG. 6 a. For instance, the access providing module 104*of the computing device 10*(e.g., the computing device 10′ of FIG. 3 aor the computing device 10″ of FIG. 3 b) providing unrestricted access,via the computing device 10*, to the one or more items (e.g., one ormore applications, documents, image or audio files, textual or audiomessages, passwords, and so forth), the unrestricted access to beprovided to the one or more items being in response, at least in part,to said determining which of the plurality of users 20* detected in theproximate vicinity of the computing device 10* has primary control ofthe computing device 10*.

In some implementations, the access providing operation 404 may includean operation 642 for providing partial access, via the computing device,to the one or more items, the limited access to be provided to the oneor more items being in response, at least in part, to said determining.For instance, the access providing module 104* of the computing device10* providing partial access (e.g., restricted access), via thecomputing device 10*, to the one or more items, the limited access to beprovided to the one or more items being in response, at least in part,to said determining which of the plurality of users 20* detected in theproximate vicinity of the computing device 10* has primary control ofthe computing device 10*.

In some implementations, the access providing operation 404 may includean operation 643 for providing no access, via the computing device, tothe one or more items, the no access to be provided to the one or moreitems being in response, at least in part, to said determining asfurther depicted in FIG. 6 a. For instance, the access providing module104* of the computing device 10* providing no access, via the computingdevice 10*, to the one or more items, the no access to be provided tothe one or more items being in response, at least in part, to saiddetermining which of the plurality of users 20* detected in theproximate vicinity of the computing device 10* has primary control ofthe computing device 10*.

In some implementations, the access providing operation 404 mayadditionally or alternatively include an operation 644 for providing afirst level of access, via the computing device, to the one or moreitems, the first level of access to be provided to the one or more itemsbeing in response, at least in part, to said determining, and the firstlevel of access to the one or more items being a lower level of accessto the one or more items than a second level of access to the one ormore items that was provided at least immediately prior to saiddetermining. For instance, the access providing module 104* of thecomputing device 10* providing a first level of access, via thecomputing device 10*, to the one or more items (e.g., productivitydocuments such as a word processing document), the first level of accessto be provided to the one or more items being in response, at least inpart, to said determining which of the plurality of users 20* detectedin the proximate vicinity of the computing device 10* has primarycontrol of the computing device 10*, and the first level of access(e.g., read-only access) to the one or more items being a lower(diminished or reduced) level of access to the one or more items than asecond level of access (e.g., full editorial access) to the one or moreitems that was provided via the computing device 10* at leastimmediately prior to said determining.

In some implementations, the access providing operation 404 mayalternatively include an operation 645 for providing a first level ofaccess, via the computing device, to the one or more items, the firstlevel of access to be provided to the one or more items being inresponse, at least in part, to said determining, and the first level ofaccess to the one or more items being a higher level of access to theone or more items than a second level of access to the one or more itemsthat was provided at least immediately prior to said determining. Forinstance, the access providing module 104* of the computing device 10*providing a first level of access, via the computing device 10*, to theone or more items (e.g., image or audio files), the first level ofaccess to be provided to the one or more items being in response, atleast in part, to said determining which of the plurality of users 20*detected in the proximate vicinity of the computing device 10* hasprimary control of the computing device 10*, and the first level ofaccess (e.g., viewing or audio access) to the one or more items being ahigher level of access to the one or more items than a second level ofaccess (e.g., no viewing or audio access) to the one or more items thatwas provided at least immediately prior to said determining.

Referring to FIG. 6 b, in various implementations, the access providingoperation 404 of FIG. 4 may include an operation 646 for providing aparticular level of viewing access, via the computing device, to the oneor more items, the particular level of viewing access to be provided tothe one or more items being in response, at least in part, to saiddetermining. For instance, the viewing access providing module 230 (seeFIG. 3 d) of the computing device 10* providing a particular level ofviewing access (e.g., full, partial, or no viewing access), via thecomputing device 10*, to the one or more items (e.g., email message),the particular level of viewing access to be provided to the one or moreitems being in response, at least in part, to said determining which ofthe plurality of users 20* detected in the proximate vicinity of thecomputing device 10* has primary control of the computing device 10*.

In some cases, and as illustrated in FIG. 6 b, operation 646 may includean operation 647 for providing at least limited viewing access, via auser interface, to the one or more items, the at least limited viewingaccess to be provided to the one or more items being in response, atleast in part, to said determining. For instance, the viewing accessproviding module 230 of the computing device 10* providing at leastlimited viewing access, via a user interface 110 (e.g., a displayscreen), to the one or more items (e.g., email messages), the at leastlimited viewing access (e.g., display only subject headings of themessages) to be provided to the one or more items being in response, atleast in part, to said determining which of the plurality of users 20*detected in the proximate vicinity of the computing device 10* hasprimary control of the computing device 10*.

As further depicted in FIG. 6 b, in various implementations, operation647 may, in turn, include one or more additional operations including,for example, an operation 648 for providing a first level of viewingaccess, via the user interface, to the one or more items, the firstlevel of viewing access to be provided to the one or more items being inresponse, at least in part, to said determining, and the first level ofviewing access to be provided to the one or more items being a lowerlevel of viewing access to the one or more items than a second level ofviewing access to the one or more items that was provided at leastimmediately prior to said determining. For instance, the viewing accessproviding module 230 of the computing device 10* providing a first levelof viewing access, via the user interface 110, to the one or more items(e.g., digital images), the first level of viewing access to be providedto the one or more items being in response, at least in part, to saiddetermining which of the plurality of users 20* detected in theproximate vicinity of the computing device 10* has primary control ofthe computing device 10*, and the first level of viewing access (e.g.,no viewing access) to be provided to the one or more items being a lowerlevel of viewing access to the one or more items than a second level ofviewing access (e.g., full viewing access) to the one or more items thatwas provided at least immediately prior to said determining.

In some cases, operation 647 may include an operation 649 for hidingvisually, via the user interface, at least one or more visualrepresentations of the one or more items, the hiding visually of the atleast one or more visual representations of the one or more items beingin response, at least in part, to said determining. For instance, thevisual hiding module 232 (see FIG. 3 d) of the computing device 10*hiding visually (disguising or obfuscating visually), via the userinterface 110 (e.g., a display screen such as a touchscreen), at leastone or more visual representations (e.g., name of an electronic documentor subject heading of an email message or the electronic document oremail message itself) of the one or more items (e.g., electronicdocument or email message), the hiding visually of the at least one ormore visual representations of the one or more items being in response,at least in part, to said determining which of the plurality of users20* detected in the proximate vicinity of the computing device 10* hasprimary control of the computing device 10*.

It is noteworthy to note at this time that many if not most items (e.g.,electronic documents, image or audio files, software applications, andso forth) that may presented via a computing device 10* are usuallypresented, at least initially, by presenting the name, tile, or otherrepresentations of the items in, for example, an index, a dropdown menu,or the desktop of a graphical user interface (GUI). Thus, in order tohide the existence of a particular item (e.g., a document or anapplication), one may only need to hide or disguise all representationsof the particular item that may exist in the index, menu, or the desktopof the GUI. In order to disguise a representation of the particular itemthat may be included in, for example, an index, the representation(e.g., a name of a file) may be replaced with a substituterepresentation (e.g., an obfuscating locum tenens) to hide the existenceof the particular item.

As further illustrated in FIG. 6 b, operation 649 may, in turn, includean operation 650 for replacing visually, via the user interface, atleast one or more visual representations of the one or more items withone or more obfuscating locum tenentes, the replacing visually of the atleast one or more visual representations with the obfuscating locumtenentes being in response, at least in part, to said determining. Forinstance, the visual representation replacing module 234 (see FIG. 3 d)of the computing device 10* replacing visually, via the user interface110, at least one or more visual representations (sender's name orsubject heading) of the one or more items (e.g., email messages) withone or more obfuscating locum tenentes (e.g., fictional name orfictional subject heading), the replacing visually of the at least oneor more visual representations with the obfuscating locum tenentes beingin response, at least in part, to said determining.

Turning now to FIG. 6 c, in some instances, operation 646 for providinga particular level of viewing access, via the computing device, to theone or more items, the particular level of viewing access to be providedto the one or more items being in response, at least in part, to saiddetermining may include an operation 651 for providing at least greaterviewing access, via a user interface, to the one or more items, the atleast greater viewing access to be provided to the one or more itemsbeing in response, at least in part, to said determining. For instance,the viewing access providing module 230 of the computing device 10*providing at least greater viewing access, via a user interface 110, tothe one or more items (e.g., an email message), the at least greaterviewing access (e.g., partial or full viewing access) to be provided tothe one or more items being in response, at least in part, to saiddetermining which of the plurality of users 20* detected in theproximate vicinity of the computing device 10* has primary control ofthe computing device 10*. For example, if the one or more items that thegreater viewing access is to be provided to include an email message,then providing access to such an item such that only the subject headingof the email message is viewable (e.g., partial viewing access) orproviding access such that the entire email message is viewable (e.g.,full viewing access).

As further illustrated in FIG. 6 c, operation 651 may include one ormore additional operations in various alternative implementations. Forexample, in some implementations, operation 651 may include an operation652 for providing unrestricted viewing access, via the user interface,to the one or more items, the unrestricted viewing access to be providedto the one or more items being in response, at least in part, to saiddetermining. For instance, the viewing access providing module 230 ofthe computing device 10* providing unrestricted viewing access, via theuser interface 110, to the one or more items, the unrestricted viewingaccess to be provided to the one or more items being in response, atleast in part, to said determining.

In the same or different implementations, operation 651 may involve anoperation 653 for providing a first level of viewing access, via theuser interface, to the one or more items, the first level of viewingaccess to be provided to the one or more items being in response, atleast in part, to said determining, and the first level of viewingaccess to be provided to the one or more items being a greater level ofviewing access to the one or more items than a second level of viewingaccess provided to the one or more items at least immediately prior tosaid determining. For instance, the viewing access providing module 230of the computing device 10* providing a first level of viewing access,via the user interface 110, to the one or more items, the first level ofviewing access to be provided to the one or more items being inresponse, at least in part, to said determining, and the first level ofviewing access to be provided to the one or more items being a greaterlevel of viewing access to the one or more items than a second level ofviewing access provided to the one or more items at least immediatelyprior to said determining.

In the same or different implementations, operation 651 may additionallyor alternatively include an operation 654 for providing visually, viathe user interface, at least one or more visual representations of theone or more items, the providing visually of the one or more visualrepresentations being in response, at least in part, to saiddetermining. For instance, the visual representation providing module236 (see FIG. 3 d) of the computing device 10* providing visually, viathe user interface 110, at least one or more visual representations(e.g., subject headings or titles) of the one or more items (e.g.,productivity documents or text messages), the providing visually of theone or more visual representations being in response, at least in part,to said determining. Note that in some cases, the providing visually ofthe one or more visual representations of the one or more items may beachieved by simply providing visually the one or more items themselves.For example, if the one or more items include a text message or aninstant message, then providing the one or more visual representationsby visually presenting the text message or instant message themselves.

In some implementations, operation 654 may further include an operation655 for providing visually, via the user interface, one or more of thevisual representations of the one or more items, the one or more of thevisual representations not being previously provided via the userinterface at least immediately prior to said determining. For instance,the visual representation providing module 236 of the computing device10* providing visually, via the user interface 110 (e.g., a touchscreen), one or more of the visual representations (e.g., subjectheading or name of sender of an email message) of the one or more items,the one or more of the visual representations not being previouslyprovided via the user interface 110 at least immediately prior to saiddetermining which of the plurality of users 20* detected in theproximate vicinity of the computing device 10* has primary control ofthe computing device 10*.

In some cases, operation 655 may, in turn, further include an operation656 for replacing visually, via the user interface, one or moreobfuscating locum tenentes of the one or more items with the one or moreof the visual representations of the one or more items, the one or moreobfuscating locum tenentes being available for presentation via the userinterface at least immediately prior to said determining. For instance,the locum tenentes replacing module 238 (see FIG. 3 d) of the computingdevice 10* replacing visually, via the user interface 110, one or moreobfuscating locum tenentes (e.g., obfuscating substituterepresentations) of the one or more items with the one or more of thetrue visual representations of the one or more items, the one or moreobfuscating locum tenentes being available for presentation via the userinterface 110 at least immediately prior to said determining. Forexample, replacing fake names of electronic documents that may bedisplayed through the user interface 110 (e.g., a touch screen) with thetrue or actual names of the electronic documents.

Referring now to FIG. 6 d, in some implementations, the access providingoperation 404 of FIG. 4 may include an operation 657 for providing aparticular level of audio access, via the computing device, to the oneor more items, the particular level of audio access to be provided tothe one or more items being in response, at least in part, to saiddetermining. For instance, the audio access providing module 240 (seeFIG. 3 d) of the computing device 10* providing a particular level ofaudio access (e.g., full, partial, or no audio access), via thecomputing device 10*, to the one or more items, the particular level ofaudio access to be provided to the one or more items being in response,at least in part, to said determining which of the plurality of users20* detected in the proximate vicinity of the computing device 10* hasprimary control of the computing device 10*.

As further illustrated in FIG. 6 d, in some implementations, operation657 may include an operation 658 for providing at least limited audioaccess, via a user interface, to the one or more items, the at leastlimited audio access to be provided to the one or more items being inresponse, at least in part, to said determining. For instance, the audioaccess providing module 240 of the computing device 10* providing atleast limited audio access, via a user interface 110, to the one or moreitems (e.g., a video file), the at least limited audio access to beprovided to the one or more items being in response, at least in part,to said determining.

In various implementations, operation 658 may include one or moreadditional operations including, for example, an operation 659 forproviding a first level of audio access, via the user interface, to theone or more items, the first level of audio access to be provided to theone or more items being in response, at least in part, to saiddetermining, and the first level of audio access to be provided to theone or more items being a lower level of audio access to the one or moreitems than a second level of audio access to the one or more items thatwas provided at least immediately prior to said determining. Forinstance, the audio access providing module 240 of the computing device10* providing a first level of audio access, via the user interface 110,to the one or more items, the first level of audio access to be providedto the one or more items being in response, at least in part, to saiddetermining which of the plurality of users 20* detected in theproximate vicinity of the computing device 10* has primary control ofthe computing device 10*, and the first level of audio access to beprovided to the one or more items being a lower (e.g., diminished) levelof audio access to the one or more items than a second level of audioaccess to the one or more items that was provided at least immediatelyprior to said determining.

In the same or different implementations, operation 658 may include anoperation 660 for hiding audibly, via the user interface, at least oneor more audio representations of the one or more items, the hidingaudibly of the at least one or more audio representations of the one ormore items being in response, at least in part, to said determining. Forinstance, the audio hiding module 242 (see FIG. 3 d) of the computingdevice 10* hiding audibly, via the user interface 110 (e.g., one or morespeakers), at least one or more audio representations of the one or moreitems (e.g., one or more voice messages), the hiding audibly of the atleast one or more audio representations of the one or more items beingin response, at least in part, to said determining. For example, if theone or more items include one or more voice messages then the one ormore audio representations may be hidden by hiding all or some audioindications (e.g., a ring or a synthesized voice indicator) of existenceof such messages.

In some cases, operation 660 may further include an operation 661 forreplacing audibly, via the user interface, at least one or more audiorepresentations of the one or more items with one or more obfuscatinglocum tenentes, the replacing audibly of the at least one or more audiorepresentations with the one or more obfuscating locum tenentes being inresponse, at least in part, to said determining. For instance, the audiorepresentation replacing module 244 (see FIG. 3 d) of the computingdevice 10* replacing audibly, via the user interface 110, at least oneor more audio representations (e.g., true or actual audiorepresentations) of the one or more items with one or more obfuscatinglocum tenentes, the replacing audibly of the at least one or more audiorepresentations with the one or more obfuscating locum tenentes being inresponse, at least in part, to said determining. For example, if the oneor more items include one or more voice messages, than replacing thetrue or actual voice of the voice messages with a substitute voice oraltered version of the true or actual voice.

As illustrated in FIG. 6 e, in some implementations, operation 657 forproviding a particular level of audio access, via the computing device,to the one or more items, the particular level of audio access to beprovided to the one or more items being in response, at least in part,to said determining may include an operation 662 for providing at leastgreater audio access, via a user interface, to the one or more items,the at least greater audio access to be provided to the one or moreitems being in response, at least in part, to said determining. Forinstance, the audio access providing module 240 of the computing device10* providing at least greater audio access, via a user interface 110,to the one or more items than the audio access that was provided to theone or more items immediately prior to said determining, the at leastgreater audio access to be provided to the one or more items being inresponse, at least in part, to said determining.

As further illustrated in FIG. 6 e, operation 662 may include one ormore additional operations in various alternative implementations. Forexample, in some implementations, operation 662 may include an operation663 for providing unrestricted audio access, via the user interface, tothe one or more items, the unrestricted audio access to be provided tothe one or more items being in response, at least in part, to saiddetermining. For instance, the audio access providing module 240 of thecomputing device 10* providing unrestricted audio access, via the userinterface 110, to the one or more items, the unrestricted audio accessto be provided to the one or more items being in response, at least inpart, to said determining which of the plurality of users 20* detectedin the proximate vicinity of the computing device 10* has primarycontrol of the computing device 10*.

In the same or alternative implementations, operation 662 may include anoperation 664 for providing a first level of audio access, via the userinterface, to the one or more items, the first level of audio access tobe provided to the one or more items being in response, at least inpart, to said determining, and the first level of audio access to beprovided to the one or more items being a lower level of audio access tothe one or more items than a second level of audio access provided tothe one or more items at least immediately prior to said determining.For instance, the audio access providing module 240 of the computingdevice 10* providing a first level of audio access, via the userinterface 110, to the one or more items, the first level of audio accessto be provided to the one or more items being in response, at least inpart, to said determining which of the plurality of users 20* detectedin the proximate vicinity of the computing device 10* has primarycontrol of the computing device 10*, and the first level of audio accessto be provided to the one or more items being a lower (reduced ordiminished) level of audio access to the one or more items than a secondlevel of audio access provided to the one or more items at leastimmediately prior to said determining.

In the same or alternative implementations, operation 662 may include anoperation 665 for providing audibly, via the user interface, one or moreaudio representations of the one or more items in response, at least inpart, to said determining, the providing audibly of the one or moreaudio representations being in response, at least in part, to saiddetermining. For instance, the audio representation providing module 246(see FIG. 3 d) of the computing device 10* providing audibly, via theuser interface 110, one or more audio representations of the one or moreitems in response, at least in part, to said determining, the providingaudibly of the one or more audio representations being in response, atleast in part, to said determining. The one or more audiorepresentations of the one or more items that may be provided may comein a variety of different forms in various alternative implementations.For example, in cases where the one or more items are one or more voicemessages, the one or more audio representations that may be provided maybe the voice messages themselves or, alternatively, may merely be one ormore audio pings (alerts) that indicate the existence of the voicemessages.

In some cases, operation 665 may include an operation 666 for providingaudibly, via the user interface, one or more of the audiorepresentations of the one or more items, the one or more of the audiorepresentations not being previously provided via the user interface atleast immediately prior to said determining. For instance, the audiorepresentation providing module 246 of the computing device 10*providing audibly, via the user interface 110, one or more of the audiorepresentations of the one or more items, the one or more of the audiorepresentations not being previously provided via the user interface 110at least immediately prior to said determining.

As further illustrated in FIG. 6 e, operation 666 in some instances mayfurther include an operation 667 for replacing audibly, via the userinterface, one or more obfuscating locum tenentes of the one or moreitems with the one or more of the audio representations of the one ormore items, the one or more obfuscating locum tenentes being availablefor presentation via the user interface at least immediately prior tosaid determining. For instance, the locum tenentes replacing module 248of the computing device 10* replacing audibly, via the user interface110, one or more obfuscating locum tenentes (e.g., altered voicepatterns) of the one or more items (e.g., voice message) with the one ormore of the true audio representations (e.g., true voice pattern) of theone or more items, the one or more obfuscating locum tenentes beingavailable for presentation via the user interface 110 at leastimmediately prior to said determining.

Referring to now to FIG. 6 f, the access providing operation 404 of FIG.4 in various implementations may include an operation 668 forpresenting, via the computing device, the one or more items in one ormore formats that allow one or more editorial actions to be availablefor execution on one or more parts of the one or more items, the one ormore formats of the one or more items to be presented being in response,at least in part, to said determining. For instance, the editable formatpresenting module 250 (see FIG. 3 d) of the computing device 10*presenting (e.g., displaying), via the computing device 10*, the one ormore items (e.g., word processing documents) in one or more formats thatallow one or more editorial actions (e.g., modifications, addition,deletion, copying, etc.) to be available for execution on one or moreparts of the one or more items, the one or more formats of the one ormore items to be presented being in response, at least in part, to saiddetermining which of the plurality of users 20* detected in theproximate vicinity of the computing device 10* has primary control ofthe computing device 10*.

In some cases, operation 668 may include an operation 669 forpresenting, via the computing device, the one or more items in one ormore formats that allow one or more selective editorial actions from aplurality of available editorial actions to be available for executionon one or more parts of the one or more items while not allowing one ormore editorial actions from the plurality of available editorial actionsto be unavailable for execution on the one or more parts of the one ormore items, the one or more formats of the one or more items to bepresented being in response, at least in part, to said determining. Forinstance, the editable format presenting module 250 (see FIG. 3 d) ofthe computing device 10* presenting, via the computing device 10*, theone or more items (e.g., spreadsheet document) in one or more formatsthat allow one or more selective editorial actions (e.g., copying) froma plurality of available editorial actions to be available for executionon one or more parts of the one or more items while not allowing one ormore editorial actions (e.g., adding or deleting) from the plurality ofavailable editorial actions to be unavailable for execution on the oneor more parts of the one or more items, the one or more formats of theone or more items to be presented being in response, at least in part,to said determining.

In some alternative implementations, operation 668 may alternativelyinclude an operation 670 for presenting, via the computing device, theone or more items in one or more formats that allow all editorialactions to be available for execution on one or more parts of the one ormore items, the one or more formats of the one or more items to bepresented being in response, at least in part, to said determining. Forinstance, the editable format presenting module 250 (see FIG. 3 d) ofthe computing device 10* presenting, via the computing device 10*, theone or more items in one or more formats that allow all editorialactions to be available for execution on one or more parts of the one ormore items, the one or more formats of the one or more items to bepresented being in response, at least in part, to said determining.

In some implementations, the access providing operation 404 of FIG. 4may alternatively include an operation 671 for presenting, via thecomputing device, the one or more items in one or more formats that doesnot allow any editorial actions to be executed on the one or more items,the one or more formats of the one or more items to be presented beingin response, at least in part, to said determining. For instance, thenon-editable format presenting module 252 (see FIG. 3 d) of thecomputing device 10* presenting, via the computing device 10*, the oneor more items in one or more formats (e.g., read-only-format) that doesnot allow any editorial actions to be executed on the one or more items,the one or more formats of the one or more items to be presented beingin response, at least in part, to said determining which of theplurality of users 20* detected in the proximate vicinity of thecomputing device 10* has primary control of the computing device 10*.

As also illustrated in FIG. 6 f, the access providing operation 404 ofFIG. 4 may include in various implementations an operation 672 forpresenting, via the computing device, the one or more items in one ormore formats that allow one or more functionalities of the one or moreitems to be available for execution, the one or more formats of the oneor more items to be presented being in response, at least in part, tosaid determining. For instance, the functional format presenting module254 (see FIG. 3 d) of the computing device 10* presenting, via thecomputing device 10*, the one or more items (e.g., email applications)in one or more formats that allow one or more functionalities (e.g.,send or transmit, save, and so forth) of the one or more items to beavailable for execution, the one or more formats of the one or moreitems to be presented being in response, at least in part, to saiddetermining which of the plurality of users 20* detected in theproximate vicinity of the computing device 10* has primary control ofthe computing device 10*.

In some implementations, operation 672 may further include an operation673 for presenting, via the computing device, the one or more items inone or more formats that allow one or more selective functionalitiesfrom a plurality of functionalities available through the one or moreitems to be available for execution while not making available forexecution one or more other functionalities from the plurality offunctionalities, the one or more formats of the one or more items to bepresented being in response, at least in part, to said determining. Forinstance, the functional format presenting module 254 (see FIG. 3 d) ofthe computing device 10* presenting, via the computing device 10*, theone or more items (e.g., email applications) in one or more formats thatallow one or more selective functionalities (e.g., open an email) from aplurality of functionalities available through the one or more items tobe available for execution while not making available for execution oneor more other functionalities (e.g., sending an email) from theplurality of functionalities, the one or more formats of the one or moreitems to be presented being in response, at least in part, to saiddetermining.

As further illustrated in FIG. 6 f, in some alternative implementations,operation 672 may include an operation 674 for presenting, via thecomputing device, the one or more items in one or more formats thatallow all functionalities available through the one or more items to beavailable for execution, the one or more formats of the one or moreitems to be presented being in response, at least in part, to saiddetermining. For instance, the functional format presenting module 254(see FIG. 3 d) of the computing device 10* presenting, via the computingdevice 10*, the one or more items (e.g., word processing application) inone or more formats that allow all functionalities available through theone or more items (e.g., all functionalities of the word processingapplication) to be available for execution, the one or more formats ofthe one or more items to be presented being in response, at least inpart, to said determining.

Turning now to FIG. 6 g, in various implementations, the accessproviding operation 404 of FIG. 4 may include an operation 675 forproviding the particular level of access, via the computing device, toone or more electronic documents, the particular level of access to beprovided to the one or more electronic documents being in response, atleast in part, to said determining. For instance, the access providingmodule 104* of the computing device 10* providing the particular levelof access, via the computing device 10*, to one or more electronicdocuments (e.g., textual documents, image files, audio files, videofiles, and so forth), the particular level of access to be provided tothe one or more electronic documents being in response, at least inpart, to said determining which of the plurality of users 20* detectedin the proximate vicinity of the computing device 10* has primarycontrol of the computing device 10*.

As further illustrated in FIG. 6 g, in some implementations operation675 may further include an operation 676 for providing the particularlevel of access, via the computing device, to one or more productivitydocuments, the particular level of access to be provided to the one ormore productivity documents being in response, at least in part, to saiddetermining. For instance, the access providing module 104* of thecomputing device 10* providing the particular level of access, via thecomputing device 10*, to one or more productivity documents (e.g., wordprocessing documents, spreadsheet documents, presentation documents, andso forth), the particular level of access to be provided to the one ormore productivity documents being in response, at least in part, to saiddetermining.

In the same or different implementations, operation 675 may include anoperation 677 for providing the particular level of access, via thecomputing device, to one or more electronic messages, the particularlevel of access to be provided to the one or more electronic messagesbeing in response, at least in part, to said determining. For instance,the access providing module 104* of the computing device 10* providingthe particular level of access, via the computing device 10*, to one ormore electronic messages (e.g., email messages, voice messages, IMmessages, and so forth), the particular level of access to be providedto the one or more electronic messages being in response, at least inpart, to said determining.

In the same or different implementations, operation 675 may include anoperation 678 for providing the particular level of access, via thecomputing device, to one or more image documents, the particular levelof access to be provided to the one or more image documents being inresponse, at least in part, to said determining. For instance, theaccess providing module 104* of the computing device 10* providing theparticular level of access, via the computing device 10*, to one or moreimage documents (e.g., digital photos, video files, and so forth), theparticular level of access to be provided to the one or more imagedocuments being in response, at least in part, to said determining.

In the same or different implementations, operation 675 may include anoperation 679 for providing the particular level of access, via thecomputing device, to one or more audio documents, the particular levelof access to be provided to the one or more audio documents being inresponse, at least in part, to said determining. For instance, theaccess providing module 104* of the computing device 10* providing theparticular level of access, via the computing device 10*, to one or moreaudio documents (e.g., audio recordings, voice messages, and so forth),the particular level of access to be provided to the one or more audiodocuments being in response, at least in part, to said determining.

In some instances, the access providing operation 404 may include anoperation 680 for providing the particular level of access, via thecomputing device, to one or more passwords, the particular level ofaccess to be provided to the one or more passwords being in response, atleast in part, to said determining. For instance, the access providingmodule 104* of the computing device 10* providing the particular levelof access, via the computing device 10*, to one or more passwords (e.g.,passwords to open a document or use an application), the particularlevel of access to be provided to the one or more passwords being inresponse, at least in part, to said determining.

In some implementations, the access providing operation 404 may includean operation 681 for providing the particular level of access, via thecomputing device, to one or more applications, the particular level ofaccess to be provided to the one or more applications being in response,at least in part, to said determining. For instance, the accessproviding module 104* of the computing device 10* providing theparticular level of access, via the computing device 10*, to one or moreapplications (e.g., software applications), the particular level ofaccess to be provided to the one or more applications being in response,at least in part, to said determining.

In various implementations, operation 681 may include one or moreadditional operations including, for example, an operation 682 forproviding the particular level of access, via the computing device, toone or more productivity applications, the particular level of access tobe provided to the one or more productivity applications being inresponse, at least in part, to said determining. For instance, theaccess providing module 104* of the computing device 10* providing theparticular level of access, via the computing device 10*, to one or moreproductivity applications (e.g., word processing applications,spreadsheet applications, graphics applications, presentationapplications, and so forth), the particular level of access to beprovided to the one or more productivity applications being in response,at least in part, to said determining.

In the same or different implementations, operation 681 may additionallyor alternatively include an operation 683 for providing the particularlevel of access, via the computing device, to one or more communicationapplications, the particular level of access to be provided to the oneor more communication applications being in response, at least in part,to said determining. For instance, the access providing module 104* ofthe computing device 10* providing the particular level of access, viathe computing device 10*, to one or more communication applications(e.g., email application, text messaging application, instant messagingor IM application, and so forth), the particular level of access to beprovided to the one or more communication applications being inresponse, at least in part, to said determining.

In the same or different implementations, operation 681 may additionallyor alternatively include an operation 684 for providing the particularlevel of access, via the computing device, to one or more personalinformation manager applications, the particular level of access to beprovided to the one or more personal information manager applicationsbeing in response, at least in part, to said determining. For instance,the access providing module 104* of the computing device 10* providingthe particular level of access, via the computing device 10*, to one ormore personal information manager applications, the particular level ofaccess to be provided to the one or more personal information managerapplications being in response, at least in part, to said determining.

Turning now to FIG. 6 h, in various implementations, the accessproviding operation 404 of FIG. 4 may include an operation 685 forproviding a particular level of access, via the computing device, to oneor more items that are ascertained to be affiliated with one or moreparticular entities, the particular level of access to be provided tothe one or more items being in response, at least in part, to saiddetermining and said ascertaining that the one or more items areaffiliated with the one or more particular entities. For instance, theaccess providing module 104* including the entity affiliationascertaining module 256 (see FIG. 3 d) of the computing device 10*providing a particular level of access, via the computing device 10*, toone or more items that are ascertained by the entity affiliationascertaining module 256 to be affiliated with one or more particularentities (e.g., third parties), the particular level of access to beprovided to the one or more items being in response, at least in part,to said determining and said ascertaining that the one or more items areaffiliated with the one or more particular entities.

As further illustrated in FIG. 6 h, operation 685 may include one ormore additional operations in various alternative implementations. Forexample, in some implementations, operation 685 may include an operation686 for providing the particular level of access, via the computingdevice, to the one or more items that are ascertained to be affiliatedwith one or more particular entities, the one or more items beingascertained to include one or more names that matches with one or morenames affiliated with the one or more particular entities. For instance,the access providing module 104* including the entity affiliationascertaining module 256 of the computing device 10* providing theparticular level of access, via the computing device 10*, to the one ormore items that are ascertained by the entity affiliation ascertainingmodule 256 to be affiliated with one or more particular entities, theone or more items being ascertained to include one or more names thatmatches with one or more names (e.g., usernames, legal names, businessnames, and so forth) affiliated with the one or more particularentities.

In the same or different implementations, operation 685 may additionallyor alternatively include an operation 687 for providing the particularlevel of access, via the computing device, to the one or more items thatare ascertained to be affiliated with one or more particular entities,the one or more items being ascertained to include one or more imagesthat matches with one or more images affiliated with the one or moreparticular entities. For instance, the access providing module 104*including the entity affiliation ascertaining module 256 of thecomputing device 10* providing the particular level of access, via thecomputing device 10*, to the one or more items that are ascertained bythe entity affiliation ascertaining module 256 to be affiliated with oneor more particular entities, the one or more items (e.g., digitalphotographs) being ascertained to include one or more images (e.g.,facial images) that matches with one or more images affiliated with theone or more particular entities.

In the same or different implementations, operation 685 may additionallyor alternatively include an operation 688 for providing the particularlevel of access, via the computing device, to the one or more items thatare ascertained to be affiliated with one or more particular entities,the one or more items being ascertained to include one or more voicepatterns that matches with one or more signature voice patternsaffiliated with the one or more particular entities. For instance, theaccess providing module 104* including the entity affiliationascertaining module 256 of the computing device 10* providing theparticular level of access, via the computing device 10*, to the one ormore items (e.g. audio recordings or voice messages) that areascertained by entity affiliation ascertaining module 256 to beaffiliated with one or more particular entities, the one or more itemsbeing ascertained to include one or more voice patterns that matcheswith one or more signature voice patterns affiliated with the one ormore particular entities.

In the same or different implementations, operation 685 may additionallyor alternatively include an operation 689 for providing the particularlevel of access, via the computing device, to the one or more items thatare ascertained to be affiliated with one or more particular entities,the one or more items being ascertained to include one or more words,phrases, and/or numbers that match with one or more words, phrases,and/or numbers affiliated with the one or more particular entities. Forinstance, the access providing module 104* including the entityaffiliation ascertaining module 256 of the computing device 10*providing the particular level of access, via the computing device 10*,to the one or more items (e.g., word processing documents) that areascertained by the entity affiliation ascertaining module 256 to beaffiliated with one or more particular entities, the one or more itemsbeing ascertained to include one or more words, phrases, and/or numbersthat match with one or more words, phrases, and/or numbers affiliatedwith the one or more particular entities.

In some instances, the access providing operation 404 of FIG. 4 mayadditionally or alternatively include an operation 690 for providing theparticular level of access, via the computing device, to the one or moreitems based on access rights to the one or more items of a particularuser from a plurality of users determined to have primary control of thecomputing device, the access rights of the particular user being thebasis for the particular level of access to be provided to the one ormore items based, at least in part, on the particular user having thelowest access rights to the one or more items among the plurality ofusers determined to have primary control of the computing device. Forinstance, the access providing module 104* of the computing device 10*providing the particular level of access, via the computing device, tothe one or more items based on access rights to the one or more items ofa particular user from a plurality of users (e.g., users 20 s and 20 tof FIG. 2 d) determined by the primary control determining module 102*to have primary control of the computing device 10*, the access rightsof the particular user 20* being the basis for the particular level ofaccess to be provided to the one or more items based, at least in part,on the particular user 20* having the lowest access rights to the one ormore items among the plurality of users 20* determined to have primarycontrol of the computing device 10*.

In other alternative implementations, however, the access providingoperation 404 of FIG. 4 may include an operation 691 for providing theparticular level of access, via the computing device, to the one or moreitems based on access rights to the one or more items of a particularuser from a plurality of users determined to have primary control of thecomputing device, the access rights of the particular user being thebasis for the particular level of access to be provided to the one ormore items based, at least in part, on the particular user having thehighest access rights to the one or more items among the plurality ofusers determined to have primary control of the computing device. Forinstance, the access providing module 104* of the computing device 10*providing the particular level of access, via the computing device, tothe one or more items based on access rights to the one or more items ofa particular user from a plurality of users (e.g., users 20 s and 20 tof FIG. 2 d) determined by the primary control determining module 102*to have primary control of the computing device 20*, the access rightsof the particular user 20* being the basis for the particular level ofaccess to be provided to the one or more items based, at least in part,on the particular user 20* having the highest access rights to the oneor more items among the plurality of users 20* determined to haveprimary control of the computing device 10*.

Turning now to FIG. 7 illustrating another operational flow 700.Operational flow 700 includes certain operations that mirror theoperations included in operational flow 400 of FIG. 4. These operationsinclude a primary control determining operation 702 and an accessproviding operation 704 that corresponds to and mirror the primarycontrol determining operation 402 and the access providing operation404, respectively, of FIG. 4.

In addition, operational flow 700 may include an alert generatingoperation 706 for generating an alert to indicate that the particularlevel of access has been provided to the one or more items in responseto said providing. For instance, the alert generating module 106* of thecomputing device 10*(e.g., the computing device 10′ of FIG. 3 a or thecomputing device 10″ of FIG. 3 b) generating an alert (e.g., a visualand/or audio alert), via user interface 110 (e.g., a display screen, aspeaker, and/or vibration generator), to indicate that the particularlevel of access has been provided to the one or more items in responseto said providing. By providing such an alert, users may be alerted thatthe computing device 10* has been reconfigured as a result of detectingchange in primary control of the computing device 10*.

As further illustrated in FIG. 7, in some cases operation 706 mayinclude one or more additional operations including, for example, anoperation 710 for generating a particular sound to indicate that theparticular level of access has been provided to the one or more items inresponse to said providing. For instance, the sound generating module280 (see FIG. 3 f) of the computing device 10 generating (e.g., via userinterface 110, which may include one or more speakers) a particularsound to indicate that the particular level of access has been providedto the one or more items in response to providing the particular levelof access to the one or more items.

In the same or different implementations, the alert generating operation706 may include an operation 712 for generating a particular vibrationto indicate that the particular level of access has been provided to theone or more items in response to said providing. For instance, thevibration generating module 282 (see FIG. 3 f) of the computing device10* generating (via the user interface 110, which may include avibration generator in the form of, for example, a miniature motor) aparticular vibration to indicate that the particular level of access hasbeen provided to the one or more items in response to providing theparticular level of access to the one or more items.

In the same or different implementations, the alert generating operation706 may include an operation 714 for generating a particular visualalert to indicate that the particular level of access has been providedto the one or more items in response to said providing. For instance,the visual alert generating module 284 (see FIG. 3 f) of the computingdevice 10* generating (e.g., via the user interface 110, which mayinclude a display monitor such as a touch screen) a particular visualalert to indicate that the particular level of access has been providedto the one or more items in response to providing the particular levelof access to the one or more items.

Those having skill in the art will recognize that the state of the arthas progressed to the point where there is little distinction leftbetween hardware and software implementations of aspects of systems; theuse of hardware or software is generally (but not always, in that incertain contexts the choice between hardware and software can becomesignificant) a design choice representing cost vs. efficiency tradeoffs.Those having skill in the art will appreciate that there are variousvehicles by which processes and/or systems and/or other technologiesdescribed herein can be effected (e.g., hardware, software, and/orfirmware in one or more machines or articles of manufacture), and thatthe preferred vehicle will vary with the context in which the processesand/or systems and/or other technologies are deployed. For example, ifan implementer determines that speed and accuracy are paramount, theimplementer may opt for a mainly hardware and/or firmware vehicle;alternatively, if flexibility is paramount, the implementer may opt fora mainly software implementation that is implemented in one or moremachines or articles of manufacture; or, yet again alternatively, theimplementer may opt for some combination of hardware, software, and/orfirmware in one or more machines or articles of manufacture. Hence,there are several possible vehicles by which the processes and/ordevices and/or other technologies described herein may be effected, noneof which is inherently superior to the other in that any vehicle to beutilized is a choice dependent upon the context in which the vehiclewill be deployed and the specific concerns (e.g., speed, flexibility, orpredictability) of the implementer, any of which may vary. Those skilledin the art will recognize that optical aspects of implementations willtypically employ optically-oriented hardware, software, and orfirmware_in one or more machines or articles of manufacture.

The foregoing detailed description has set forth various embodiments ofthe devices and/or processes via the use of block diagrams, flowcharts,and/or examples. Insofar as such block diagrams, flowcharts, and/orexamples contain one or more functions and/or operations, it will beunderstood by those within the art that each function and/or operationwithin such block diagrams, flowcharts, or examples can be implemented,individually and/or collectively, by a wide range of hardware, software,firmware, or virtually any combination thereof. In one embodiment,several portions of the subject matter described herein may beimplemented via Application Specific Integrated Circuitry (ASICs), FieldProgrammable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs), orother integrated formats. However, those skilled in the art willrecognize that some aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein, inwhole or in part, can be equivalently implemented in integratedcircuitry, as one or more computer programs running on one or morecomputers (e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more computersystems), as one or more programs running on one or more processors(e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more microprocessors),as firmware, or as virtually any combination thereof, and that designingthe circuitry and/or writing the code for the software and or firmwarewould be well within the skill of one of skill in the art in light ofthis disclosure. In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciatethat the mechanisms of the subject matter described herein are capableof being distributed as a program product in a variety of forms, andthat an illustrative embodiment of the subject matter described hereinapplies regardless of the particular type of signal bearing medium usedto actually carry out the distribution. Examples of a signal bearingmedium include, but are not limited to, the following: a recordable typemedium such as a floppy disk, a hard disk drive, a Compact Disc (CD), aDigital Video Disk (DVD), a digital tape, a computer memory, etc.; and atransmission type medium such as a digital and/or an analogcommunication medium (e.g., a fiber optic cable, a waveguide, a wiredcommunications link, a wireless communication link, etc.).

In a general sense, those skilled in the art will recognize that thevarious aspects described herein which can be implemented, individuallyand/or collectively, by a wide range of hardware, software, firmware, orany combination thereof can be viewed as being composed of various typesof “electrical circuitry.” Consequently, as used herein “electricalcircuitry” includes, but is not limited to, electrical circuitry havingat least one discrete electrical circuit, electrical circuitry having atleast one integrated circuit, electrical circuitry having at least oneapplication specific integrated circuit, electrical circuitry forming ageneral purpose computing device configured by a computer program (e.g.,a general purpose computer configured by a computer program which atleast partially carries out processes and/or devices described herein,or a microprocessor configured by a computer program which at leastpartially carries out processes and/or devices described herein),electrical circuitry forming a memory device (e.g., forms of randomaccess memory), and/or electrical circuitry forming a communicationsdevice (e.g., a modem, communications switch, or optical-electricalequipment). Those having skill in the art will recognize that thesubject matter described herein may be implemented in an analog ordigital fashion or some combination thereof.

Those having skill in the art will recognize that it is common withinthe art to describe devices and/or processes in the fashion set forthherein, and thereafter use engineering practices to integrate suchdescribed devices and/or processes into data processing systems. Thatis, at least a portion of the devices and/or processes described hereincan be integrated into a data processing system via a reasonable amountof experimentation. Those having skill in the art will recognize that atypical data processing system generally includes one or more of asystem unit housing, a video display device, a memory such as volatileand non-volatile memory, processors such as microprocessors and digitalsignal processors, computational entities such as operating systems,drivers, graphical user interfaces, and applications programs, one ormore interaction devices, such as a touch pad or screen, and/or controlsystems including feedback loops and control motors (e.g., feedback forsensing position and/or velocity; control motors for moving and/oradjusting components and/or quantities). A typical data processingsystem may be implemented utilizing any suitable commercially availablecomponents, such as those typically found in datacomputing/communication and/or network computing/communication systems.

The herein described subject matter sometimes illustrates differentcomponents contained within, or connected with, different othercomponents. It is to be understood that such depicted architectures aremerely exemplary, and that in fact many other architectures can beimplemented which achieve the same functionality. In a conceptual sense,any arrangement of components to achieve the same functionality iseffectively “associated” such that the desired functionality isachieved. Hence, any two components herein combined to achieve aparticular functionality can be seen as “associated with” each othersuch that the desired functionality is achieved, irrespective ofarchitectures or intermedial components. Likewise, any two components soassociated can also be viewed as being “operably connected”, or“operably coupled”, to each other to achieve the desired functionality,and any two components capable of being so associated can also be viewedas being “operably couplable”, to each other to achieve the desiredfunctionality. Specific examples of operably couplable include but arenot limited to physically mateable and/or physically interactingcomponents and/or wirelessly interactable and/or wirelessly interactingcomponents and/or logically interacting and/or logically interactablecomponents.

While particular aspects of the present subject matter described hereinhave been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled inthe art that, based upon the teachings herein, changes and modificationsmay be made without departing from the subject matter described hereinand its broader aspects and, therefore, the appended claims are toencompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as arewithin the true spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein.Furthermore, it is to be understood that the invention is defined by theappended claims.

It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, termsused herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of theappended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term“including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” theterm “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term“includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,”etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that if aspecific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such anintent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence ofsuch recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid tounderstanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of theintroductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claimrecitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed toimply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinitearticles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing suchintroduced claim recitation to inventions containing only one suchrecitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases“one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or“an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “atleast one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use ofdefinite articles used to introduce claim recitations.

In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitationis explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that suchrecitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recitednumber (e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without othermodifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or morerecitations). Furthermore, in those instances where a conventionanalogous to “at least one of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, in generalsuch a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the artwould understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one ofA, B, and C” would include but not be limited to systems that have Aalone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and Ctogether, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.).

In those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A,B, or C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended inthe sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention(e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, or C” would include butnot be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and Btogether, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and Ctogether, etc.). It will be further understood by those within the artthat virtually any disjunctive word and/or phrase presenting two or morealternative terms, whether in the description, claims, or drawings,should be understood to contemplate the possibilities of including oneof the terms, either of the terms, or both terms. For example, thephrase “A or B” will be understood to include the possibilities of “A”or “B” or “A and B.”

1.-191. (canceled)
 192. A system, comprising: a primary controldetermining module configured to determine which of a plurality of usersin proximate vicinity of a computing device has primary control of thecomputing device; and an access providing module configured to provide aparticular level of access to one or more items via the computingdevice, the particular level of access to be provided to the one or moreitems being in response, at least in part, to said determining which ofthe plurality of users in the proximate vicinity of the computing devicehas primary control of the computing device. 193.-286. (canceled) 287.An article of manufacture, comprising: a non-transitory signal bearingstorage medium bearing: one or more instructions for determining whichof a plurality of users detected in proximate vicinity of a computingdevice has primary control of the computing device; and one or moreinstructions for providing a particular level of access, via thecomputing device, to one or more items, the particular level of accessto be provided to the one or more items being in response, at least inpart, to said determining.
 288. The article of manufacture of claim 287,wherein said one or more instructions for determining which of aplurality of users detected in proximate vicinity of a computing devicehas primary control of the computing device comprises: one or moreinstructions for determining automatically which of the plurality ofusers detected in the proximate vicinity of the computing device hasprimary control of the computing device.
 289. (canceled)
 290. Thearticle of manufacture of claim 288, wherein said one or moreinstructions for determining automatically which of the plurality ofusers detected in the proximate vicinity of the computing device hasprimary control of the computing device comprises: one or moreinstructions for determining automatically which of the plurality ofusers detected in the proximate vicinity of the computing device hasprimary control of the computing device in response to detecting that auser has relinquished primary control of the computing device. 291.-292.(canceled)
 293. The article of manufacture of claim 290, wherein saidone or more instructions for determining automatically which of theplurality of users detected in the proximate vicinity of the computingdevice has primary control of the computing device in response todetecting that a user has relinquished primary control of the computingdevice comprises: one or more instructions for determining automaticallywhich of the plurality of users detected in the proximate vicinity ofthe computing device has primary control of the computing device inresponse to detecting that a user has relinquished primary control ofthe computing device, the detection being based on one or more movementsof the computing device, one or more visual cues, and/or one or moreaudio cues that when detected infers transfer of the computing devicefrom the user.
 294. The article of manufacture of claim 288, whereinsaid one or more instructions for determining automatically which of theplurality of users detected in the proximate vicinity of the computingdevice has primary control of the computing device comprises: one ormore instructions for determining automatically which of the pluralityof users detected in the proximate vicinity of the computing device hasprimary control of the computing device in response to detectingpresence of the plurality of users in the proximate vicinity of thecomputing device.
 295. The article of manufacture of claim 287, whereinsaid one or more instructions for determining which of a plurality ofusers detected in proximate vicinity of a computing device has primarycontrol of the computing device comprises: one or more instructions fordetecting the plurality of users being in the proximate vicinity of thecomputing device based, at least in part, on data provided by one ormore sensors.
 296. The article of manufacture of claim 295, wherein saidone or more instructions for detecting the plurality of users being inthe proximate vicinity of the computing device based, at least in part,on data provided by one or more sensors comprises: one or moreinstructions for detecting the plurality of users being in the proximatevicinity of the computing device based, at least in part, on dataprovided by one or more movement sensors.
 297. The article ofmanufacture of claim 295, wherein said one or more instructions fordetecting the plurality of users being in the proximate vicinity of thecomputing device based, at least in part, on data provided by one ormore sensors comprises: one or more instructions for detecting theplurality of users being in the proximate vicinity of the computingdevice based, at least in part, on data provided by one or more visualsensors.
 298. The article of manufacture of claim 295, wherein said oneor more instructions for detecting the plurality of users being in theproximate vicinity of the computing device based, at least in part, ondata provided by one or more sensors comprises: one or more instructionsfor detecting the plurality of users being in the proximate vicinity ofthe computing device based, at least in part, on data provided by one ormore audio sensors.
 299. The article of manufacture of claim 295,wherein said one or more instructions for detecting the plurality ofusers being in the proximate vicinity of the computing device based, atleast in part, on data provided by one or more sensors comprises: one ormore instructions for detecting the plurality of users being in theproximate vicinity of the computing device based, at least in part, ondata provided by at least two or more combinations of a movement sensor,a visual sensor, and an audio sensor.
 300. The article of manufacture ofclaim 295, wherein said one or more instructions for detecting theplurality of users being in the proximate vicinity of the computingdevice based, at least in part, on data provided by one or more sensorscomprises: one or more instructions for detecting the plurality of usersbeing within a distance from the computing device from which a user canat least be at least visually detected using the one or more sensorsincluded with the computing device. 301.-304. (canceled)
 305. Thearticle of manufacture of claim 295, wherein said one or moreinstructions for detecting the plurality of users being in the proximatevicinity of the computing device based, at least in part, on dataprovided by one or more sensors comprises: one or more instructions fordetecting the plurality of users being within a distance from thecomputing device from which a user can at least be audibly detectedusing the one or more sensors included with the computing device.306.-309. (canceled)
 310. The article of manufacture of claim 295,wherein said one or more instructions for detecting the plurality ofusers being in the proximate vicinity of the computing device based, atleast in part, on data provided by one or more sensors comprises: one ormore instructions for detecting the plurality of users being in theproximate vicinity of the computing device by detecting presence of allusers who are within a predefined distance from the computing device.311. The article of manufacture of claim 287, wherein said one or moreinstructions for determining which of a plurality of users detected inproximate vicinity of a computing device has primary control of thecomputing device comprises: one or more instructions for detectingspatial locations of the plurality of users with respect to thecomputing device.
 312. The article of manufacture of claim 311, whereinsaid one or more instructions for detecting spatial locations of theplurality of users with respect to the computing device comprises: oneor more instructions for detecting which of the plurality of users is orare spatially nearest to the computing device.
 313. The article ofmanufacture of claim 312, wherein said one or more instructions fordetecting which of the plurality of users is or are spatially nearest tothe computing device comprises: one or more instructions for detectingvisually which of the plurality of users is or are spatially nearest tothe computing device.
 314. The article of manufacture of claim 313,wherein said one or more instructions for detecting visually which ofthe plurality of users is or are spatially nearest to the computingdevice comprises: one or more instructions for detecting visually thatone or more particular detected faces from a plurality of detected facesbelonging to the plurality of users detected in the proximate vicinityof the computing device as being visually nearest to the computingdevice.
 315. The article of manufacture of claim 312, wherein said oneor more instructions for detecting which of the plurality of users is orare spatially nearest to the computing device comprises: one or moreinstructions for detecting audibly which of the plurality of users is orare audibly nearest to the computing device.
 316. The article ofmanufacture of claim 315, wherein said one or more instructions fordetecting audibly which of the plurality of users is or are audiblynearest to the computing device comprises: one or more instructions fordetecting audibly that one or more particular detected voices from aplurality of detected voices associated with the plurality of usersdetected in the proximate vicinity of the computing device as beingaudibly nearest to the computing device.
 317. (canceled)
 318. Thearticle of manufacture of claim 311, wherein said one or moreinstructions for detecting spatial locations of the plurality of userswith respect to the computing device comprises: one or more instructionsfor detecting spatial locations of the plurality of the users relativeto specific orientation of the computing device, the computing devicehaving at least a first side and a second side opposite of the firstside, the first side having at least a display screen.
 319. The articleof manufacture of claim 318, wherein said one or more instructions fordetecting spatial locations of the plurality of the users relative tospecific orientation of the computing device, the computing devicehaving at least a first side and a second side opposite of the firstside, the first side having at least a display screen comprises: one ormore instructions for detecting which of the plurality of users is orare spatially located principally on the side of the first side of thecomputing device.
 320. The article of manufacture of claim 319, whereinsaid one or more instructions for detecting which of the plurality ofusers is or are spatially located principally on the side of the firstside of the computing device comprises: one or more instructions fordetecting which of the users is spatially located centered on the firstside or spatially centered closest to center of the first side.
 321. Thearticle of manufacture of claim 320, wherein said one or moreinstructions for detecting which of the users is spatially locatedcentered on the first side or spatially centered closest to center ofthe first side comprises: one or more instructions for detecting an eyeor a pair of eyes that are centered or nearest to center of the firstside of the computing device, the eye or the pair of eyes that aredetected belonging to one of the plurality of users.
 322. The article ofmanufacture of claim 320, wherein said one or more instructions fordetecting which of the users is spatially located centered on the firstside or spatially centered closest to center of the first sidecomprises: one or more instructions for detecting a face that iscentered or nearest to center of the first side of the computing device,the face that is detected belonging to one of the plurality of users.323. The article of manufacture of claim 287, wherein said one or moreinstructions for determining which of a plurality of users detected inproximate vicinity of a computing device has primary control of thecomputing device comprises: one or more instructions for detecting thatthe computing device is exhibiting one or more movements that at leastsubstantially matches with one or more signature movements of aparticular user from the plurality of users detected in the proximatevicinity of the computing device. 324.-325. (canceled)
 326. The articleof manufacture of claim 287, wherein said one or more instructions fordetermining which of a plurality of users detected in proximate vicinityof a computing device has primary control of the computing devicecomprises: one or more instructions for detecting that the computingdevice is exhibiting one or more movements that although is determinedto be associated with a human does not match with signature movements ofone or more primary users of the computing device, the one or moreprimary users having greater access rights to the computing device thanone or more secondary users of the computing device. 327.-329.(canceled)
 330. The article of manufacture of claim 287, wherein saidone or more instructions for providing a particular level of access, viathe computing device, to one or more items, the particular level ofaccess to be provided to the one or more items being in response, atleast in part, to said determining comprises: one or more instructionsfor providing a first level of access, via the computing device, to theone or more items, the first level of access to be provided to the oneor more items being in response, at least in part, to said determining,and the first level of access to the one or more items being a lowerlevel of access to the one or more items than a second level of accessto the one or more items that was provided at least immediately prior tosaid determining.
 331. The article of manufacture of claim 287, whereinsaid one or more instructions for providing a particular level ofaccess, via the computing device, to one or more items, the particularlevel of access to be provided to the one or more items being inresponse, at least in part, to said determining comprises: one or moreinstructions for providing a first level of access, via the computingdevice, to the one or more items, the first level of access to beprovided to the one or more items being in response, at least in part,to said determining, and the first level of access to the one or moreitems being a higher level of access to the one or more items than asecond level of access to the one or more items that was provided atleast immediately prior to said determining.
 332. The article ofmanufacture of claim 287, wherein said one or more instructions forproviding a particular level of access, via the computing device, to oneor more items, the particular level of access to be provided to the oneor more items being in response, at least in part, to said determiningcomprises: one or more instructions for providing a particular level ofviewing access, via the computing device, to the one or more items, theparticular level of viewing access to be provided to the one or moreitems being in response, at least in part, to said determining.
 333. Thearticle of manufacture of claim 332, wherein said one or moreinstructions for providing a particular level of viewing access, via thecomputing device, to the one or more items, the particular level ofviewing access to be provided to the one or more items being inresponse, at least in part, to said determining comprises: one or moreinstructions for providing at least limited viewing access, via a userinterface, to the one or more items, the at least limited viewing accessto be provided to the one or more items being in response, at least inpart, to said determining.
 334. (canceled)
 335. The article ofmanufacture of claim 333, wherein said one or more instructions forproviding at least limited viewing access, via a user interface, to theone or more items, the at least limited viewing access to be provided tothe one or more items being in response, at least in part, to saiddetermining comprises: one or more instructions for hiding visually, viathe user interface, at least one or more visual representations of theone or more items, the hiding visually of the at least one or morevisual representations of the one or more items being in response, atleast in part, to said determining.
 336. The article of manufacture ofclaim 335, wherein said one or more instructions for hiding visually,via the user interface, at least one or more visual representations ofthe one or more items, the hiding visually of the at least one or morevisual representations of the one or more items being in response, atleast in part, to said determining comprises: one or more instructionsfor replacing visually, via the user interface, at least one or morevisual representations of the one or more items with one or moreobfuscating locum tenentes, the replacing visually of the at least oneor more visual representations with the obfuscating locum tenentes beingin response, at least in part, to said determining.
 337. The article ofmanufacture of claim 332, wherein said one or more instructions forproviding a particular level of viewing access, via the computingdevice, to the one or more items, the particular level of viewing accessto be provided to the one or more items being in response, at least inpart, to said determining comprises: one or more instructions forproviding at least greater viewing access, via a user interface, to theone or more items, the at least greater viewing access to be provided tothe one or more items being in response, at least in part, to saiddetermining. 338.-339. (canceled)
 340. The article of manufacture ofclaim 337, wherein said one or more instructions for providing at leastgreater viewing access, via a user interface, to the one or more items,the at least greater viewing access to be provided to the one or moreitems being in response, at least in part, to said determiningcomprises: one or more instructions for providing visually, via the userinterface, at least one or more visual representations of the one ormore items, the providing visually of the one or more visualrepresentations being in response, at least in part, to saiddetermining.
 341. The article of manufacture of claim 340, wherein saidone or more instructions for providing visually, via the user interface,at least one or more visual representations of the one or more items,the providing visually of the one or more visual representations beingin response, at least in part, to said determining comprises: one ormore instructions for providing visually, via the user interface, one ormore of the visual representations of the one or more items, the one ormore of the visual representations not being previously provided via theuser interface at least immediately prior to said determining.
 342. Thearticle of manufacture of claim 341, wherein said one or moreinstructions for providing visually, via the user interface, one or moreof the visual representations of the one or more items, the one or moreof the visual representations not being previously provided via the userinterface at least immediately prior to said determining comprises: oneor more instructions for replacing visually, via the user interface, oneor more obfuscating locum tenentes of the one or more items with the oneor more of the visual representations of the one or more items, the oneor more obfuscating locum tenentes being available for presentation viathe user interface at least immediately prior to said determining. 343.The article of manufacture of claim 287, wherein said one or moreinstructions for providing a particular level of access, via thecomputing device, to one or more items, the particular level of accessto be provided to the one or more items being in response, at least inpart, to said determining comprises: one or more instructions forproviding a particular level of audio access, via the computing device,to the one or more items, the particular level of audio access to beprovided to the one or more items being in response, at least in part,to said determining. 344.-353. (canceled)
 354. The article ofmanufacture of claim 287, wherein said one or more instructions forproviding a particular level of access, via the computing device, to oneor more items, the particular level of access to be provided to the oneor more items being in response, at least in part, to said determiningcomprises: one or more instructions for presenting, via the computingdevice, the one or more items in one or more formats that allow one ormore editorial actions to be available for execution on one or moreparts of the one or more items, the one or more formats of the one ormore items to be presented being in response, at least in part, to saiddetermining. 355.-357. (canceled)
 358. The article of manufacture ofclaim 287, wherein said one or more instructions for providing aparticular level of access, via the computing device, to one or moreitems, the particular level of access to be provided to the one or moreitems being in response, at least in part, to said determiningcomprises: one or more instructions for presenting, via the computingdevice, the one or more items in one or more formats that allow one ormore functionalities of the one or more items to be available forexecution, the one or more formats of the one or more items to bepresented being in response, at least in part, to said determining.359.-370. (canceled)
 371. The article of manufacture of claim 287,wherein said one or more instructions for providing a particular levelof access, via the computing device, to one or more items, theparticular level of access to be provided to the one or more items beingin response, at least in part, to said determining comprises: one ormore instructions for providing a particular level of access, via thecomputing device, to one or more items that are ascertained to beaffiliated with one or more particular entities, the particular level ofaccess to be provided to the one or more items being in response, atleast in part, to said determining and said ascertaining that the one ormore items are affiliated with the one or more particular entities.372.-373. (canceled)
 374. The article of manufacture of claim 371,wherein said one or more instructions for providing a particular levelof access, via the computing device, to one or more items that areascertained to be affiliated with one or more particular entities, theparticular level of access to be provided to the one or more items beingin response, at least in part, to said determining and said ascertainingthat the one or more items are affiliated with the one or moreparticular entities comprises: one or more instructions for providingthe particular level of access, via the computing device, to the one ormore items that are ascertained to be affiliated with one or moreparticular entities, the one or more items being ascertained to includeone or more voice patterns that matches with one or more signature voicepatterns affiliated with the one or more particular entities.
 375. Thearticle of manufacture of claim 371, wherein said one or moreinstructions for providing a particular level of access, via thecomputing device, to one or more items that are ascertained to beaffiliated with one or more particular entities, the particular level ofaccess to be provided to the one or more items being in response, atleast in part, to said determining and said ascertaining that the one ormore items are affiliated with the one or more particular entitiescomprises: one or more instructions for providing the particular levelof access, via the computing device, to the one or more items that areascertained to be affiliated with one or more particular entities, theone or more items being ascertained to include one or more words,phrases, and/or numbers that match with one or more words, phrases,and/or numbers affiliated with the one or more particular entities. 376.The article of manufacture of claim 287, wherein said one or moreinstructions for providing a particular level of access, via thecomputing device, to one or more items, the particular level of accessto be provided to the one or more items being in response, at least inpart, to said determining comprises: one or more instructions forproviding the particular level of access, via the computing device, tothe one or more items based on access rights to the one or more items ofa particular user from a plurality of users determined to have primarycontrol of the computing device, the access rights of the particularuser being the basis for the particular level of access to be providedto the one or more items based, at least in part, on the particular userhaving the lowest access rights to the one or more items among theplurality of users determined to have primary control of the computingdevice.
 377. The article of manufacture of claim 287, wherein said oneor more instructions for providing a particular level of access, via thecomputing device, to one or more items, the particular level of accessto be provided to the one or more items being in response, at least inpart, to said determining comprises: one or more instructions forproviding the particular level of access, via the computing device, tothe one or more items based on access rights to the one or more items ofa particular user from a plurality of users determined to have primarycontrol of the computing device, the access rights of the particularuser being the basis for the particular level of access to be providedto the one or more items based, at least in part, on the particular userhaving the highest access rights to the one or more items among theplurality of users determined to have primary control of the computingdevice.
 378. The article of manufacture of claim 287, wherein saidnon-transitory signal bearing storage medium further bearing: one ormore instructions for generating an alert to indicate that theparticular level of access has been provided to the one or more items inresponse to said providing. 379.-381. (canceled)